


A Summer of Love

by LunaLoveless



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-07 03:59:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 30,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8782057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaLoveless/pseuds/LunaLoveless
Summary: Sanvers Holiday AU -Alex & her family have been taking family vacations to Martha's Vineyard every year. What will happen when Alex meets a girl named Maggie Sawyer and finds her whole life turned upside down?





	1. Chapter 1 - An Unfamiliar Face

Alex Danvers was woken up by her alarm (as she always tends to oversleep) on a crisp Saturday morning. After lazily hitting the snooze button, she began to roll over back into bed to go back to sleep, when a sudden look of realization spread eagerly across her face.

It was time to pack.

For the past 8 years, Alex, her mother & her adoptive sister Kara took a family vacation to Martha's Vineyard every summer, for which they would spend two months soaking up the sun and spending time doing various activities. Due to it being an annual visit, Alex and Kara had gradually made friends with fellow vacationers on the island who she always enjoyed reuniting with every summer. Not that Eliza, their mother, minded of course, because she got to spend every day with her girls, and although they didn't spend much time together in Martha's Vineyard, she could see how much the trip meant for her daughters. Kara & Alex also promised to themselves to spend as much time with Eliza as they could, as they loved their mother and hated the thought of them abandoning her on what began as a family holiday. Although, recently Eliza had managed to befriend the parents of her daughters' friends, & found herself to be spending more and more time with them than at home alone, which assured the girls to not feel guilty when spending a day out.

Once packed & ready to go, the Danvers family began their journey to the island, which usually took the day (it was almost always dusk by the time they had unpacked & settled in) but they did not complain - although Kara & Alex bickered like any sisters do, the family harmoniously got along and loved each other's company. Alex was so excited. She had turned 18 this year &, being the second to youngest (the youngest being Kara) of the friend group, her friends had promised to throw a party to celebrate her becoming an adult.

'Where do you think they'll throw the party?' Kara asked, as though the expression of excitement on Alex's face revealed exactly what she was thinking. 'I dunno, but I hope it's at James' house, it's the biggest and his family are always out at some fancy restaurant or something.' Alex replied, imagining how cool it would be to have the house to themselves for the night. Alex wasn't much of a partier, but she enjoyed a celebration when the occasion called for it.

'I'm excited!' Kara said enthusiastically. Kara wasn't the party type either; she enjoyed her own company and spent most of her Friday nights curled up on her sofa eating potstickers and binge watching any show she could get her hands on. She had a good group of friends at school, but their idea of a party was collectively eating junk food in front of the TV as well, so Kara fit in perfectly. 'Me too' Alex replied, 'I'm gonna teach you how to play beer pong.'

Alex heard a small chuckle from the drivers seat where her mother was driving. 'Corrupting Kara at a young age, I see.' Eliza said humorously. 'She's only a year younger than me mom, besides…learning beer pong is essential for senior year, so she might as well learn from the best.' Alex sarcastically replied, earning another chuckle from her mother.

—

Arriving early at their holiday home, the girls unpacked & settled in before it started getting dark. Situated in an ideal spot, their house overlooked one of the island's many ponds, which was inhabited by ducks, swans & islands of reeds. Their sun deck was the most popular place of the house; deck chairs and hammocks were laid out ready for the girls to use to soak up the sun the following day. Alex enjoyed spending her nights in her hammock occasionally, falling asleep under the stars and waking up to the sound of water and the sunlight. It was her favorite place in the world, a home if she ever knew one, and a safe place for her to unwind and completely relax.

She gazed out onto the pond & saw a family of ducks glide past happily. She sighed contently; oh how she had missed this place. Alex's eyes moved to the pond once more. Directly in her line of sight, her favorite beach was just visible. The best part about the house they lived in was the fact that the pond was the only obstacle between the house & a private beach for the family to enjoy. It was used occasionally by locals & neighbors but it was predominantly a place for her friends to go to for a campfire every year. Her friends arrived the long way, driving to the beach itself through the island, but all Kara & Alex had to do was hop in their canoes and traverse the pond to get to there. Alex had the strong urge to go there now, but she was interrupted by the sound of gliding doors & Kara stepping out onto the deck.

'Lucy has just texted me, they're all hanging out at the Crab Shack down the road. Wanna go and say hi before we call it a day?' Kara asked cheerfully. Alex felt a rush of excitement. Their friends usually arrived a couple of days before her and Kara did, not that they minded of course, it made their arrival more exciting knowing they were going to be greeted by everybody.

'Great! Let's go. We won't be long, but it'll be nice to see them all again.' Alex exclaimed excitedly before informing Eliza about their plans. By the time Eliza had replied 'Have fun!', the girls were already out the door.

The Crab Shack was a renowned place for people to hang out. It was a nautical themed (as most of the places in Martha's Vineyard were) café with a porch at the back - where the sisters' friends usually sat and drank lemonade on a hot day. Greeted by the usual owner, the girls raced to the porch to find their friends chatting about their plans for the next day. Once spotted, Kara and Alex received a round of cheers and welcomes from the friend group.

'I've missed my annual dose of Danvers.' Lucy Lane, a beautiful and kind hearted girl exclaimed whilst pulling Alex & Kara into a hug.

'We've missed you too, Luce.' Kara said sweetly, moving away to greet the rest of the group. Alex's eyes scanned the group; Lucy, James, Winn, Lena, & Mike all smiled enthusiastically as Alex greeted them all. However her eyes darted to an unfamiliar face who was talking to Winn. She was a short, dark haired girl, with olive colored skin & big brown eyes. Alex felt a small pang of anger - who was she and why had she been invited into this tightly knitted friend group? The look of confusion on her face was easily recognized by James who walked up to Alex, snapping her out of her daze.

'She's pretty, isn't she?' He asked, rhetorically. Alex huffed with slight frustration.

'Why is she here?'

'We invited her. She arrived a couple of days ago with her family & she hung out with us, everyone likes her…she's pretty badass if you ask me. She's super funny and she's really nice too. I think Winn has a crush on her, which is completely understandable seeming as he falls in love with anyone who looks at him…" his voice began to trail off in Alex's head because her thoughts were getting too loud. She didn't even know who this girl was and she already disliked her. As every friend group does, there was a leader. And it was undoubtedly Alex. She got along with everybody the most, she was the most approachable and she was like the glue which kept everyone together and happy. She was always asked the questions, and her opinion was the one people tended to listen to the most, so when someone new had arrived without her approval, she couldn't help but feel angry that she wasn't notified in any way.

Alex scowled at herself for thinking this. The group loved Alex and she loved them, but she knew she was the one in charge and felt knocked aside by this new arrival. She glanced over at the girl once more, only to find her walking over to Alex with a smile on her face. Alex straightened herself up & took a deep breath.

'Hey, I'm Alex.' she said in a monotone voice. Alex couldn't understand why she didn't like this girl. She hadn't done anything wrong. Yet, she felt a slight anger boil up inside of her when she saw the cocky smile spread across the dark haired girl's lips. There was a pause before the girl replied in a sarcastic tone: 'Yeah, I figured.' Alex didn't understand.

'What do you mean?' Alex had asked in a defensive tone.

'They told me about you, you're the "tall one who bosses people around and always wears dark colours"' the girl continued, glancing briefly at the black t-shirt and dark grey shorts Alex was wearing. Alex didn't know what to say to this, and merely stared back at the girl with a blank expression on her face waiting for her to speak. The new girl chuckled at Alex's reaction and finally held out her hand.

'I'm Maggie, by the way. Nice to meet you.'


	2. Chapter 2 - A Day at the Beach

Alex took a few seconds to register that Maggie was holding out her hand. She reluctantly shook it, and forced a small smile.

'Yeah, nice to meet you too.' Alex answered plainly, desperately trying to conceal her emotions which were slowly beginning to creep onto her face. Alex saw that Maggie was finding it hard to believe her, but before she was able to say anything, they were interrupted by Kara who was smiling brightly.

'Hey, you must be Maggie, right? Lucy told me about you. I'm Kara!' the blonde said enthusiastically before enveloping Maggie in an affectionate hug. Alex caught herself rolling her eyes. She was irritated, and she didn't have a reason why, which just infuriated her even more. She decided to occupy herself by catching up with her other friends with the usual chat: what they did over the last year, how their families were, and what their plan for this summer was going to be. After finding out that Alex's birthday party would indeed be held at James' house (yes!), Kara & Alex decided it was time to head back home for the day. They had made plans with their friends to go to the beach tomorrow, so the girls didn't have far to go when the time came around.

Alex was looking up at the stars as she was swaying gently in her hammock that night. Alone to her thoughts, Alex wondered if Maggie was going to come to the beach tomorrow. She had reached the conclusion that yes, she probably would be, before she heard the sliding of the porch door and felt Kara lie down in her hammock next to Alex.

'You okay, sis?' Kara asked gently. She had sensed that Alex wasn't herself today, and knew that Alex confided in Kara whenever something was wrong.

'I don't know.' was all Alex managed to say at first. She took a deep breath and continued, 'I wish they'd told me about Maggie.' she added.

'Ah, I felt like it was about her.' Kara sighed, 'want to talk about it?'

'I guess so.' Alex huffed. She knew she was overreacting. 'I just- we have been coming here for 8 years and every year has been the same. Same people, same places, same things. Every year. And I love that. I felt like we've really bonded as a group and...I guess I was upset no one told me they'd made the decision to invite someone new. It's not that I dislike Maggie, but I just feel as if people didn't care to ask me and I- never mind, I sound stupid.' Alex shook her head and scorned herself for sounding so irrational.

'No you don't.' Kara responded immediately. 'This trip has been the only normality we've gotten in the last 8 years since dad went missing, so it's completely understandable you're upset because it's changed.' Kara said soothingly. 'But think of it as a good change, you never know, you could end up really liking this Maggie person.' Kara suggested, earning a chuckle from her sister.

'Yeah, you're right. I guess I was just surprised.' Alex felt a weight lift off her shoulders for the first time today - no matter what the problem was, Kara always managed to find a way to make it feel better. She admired her sister's positive attitude, and glanced over at the blonde. 'Thanks, sis.' she said with a smile. Kara smiled back and took Alex's hand in her own.

'Any time. Before we go to the beach tomorrow, want to teach me how to play beer pong?' Kara smiled brightly.

'You're on.'

The sound of ducks quacking happily in the lake is what woke Alex & Kara the next day. After showering in the outside shower, getting ready & teaching Kara the basics of beer pong, Alex and her little sister walked to the deck to begin their ten minute canoe journey to the beach. It was a tranquil experience - the reeds brushing against each other, the sight of swans and other animals happily gliding around them, and the view itself was something which made the experience worth the ten minute arm workout. As they got closer to the beach, Alex could spot her group of friends parking their cars and beginning to settle down on the sand. Alex had (secretly) always felt cool for arriving by canoe, and once arrived, parked the canoe in the sand and helped Kara do the same.

Warmly greeted by all of her friends, Alex enjoyed properly catching up with them whilst soaking up the sun. She hadn't spoken to Maggie yet, but Alex couldn't help but steal glances at the dark haired girl every now and then to see what she was doing. Seeing that Maggie was engrossed in conversation with Winn, Alex took it upon herself to get up from her towel, and be the first to go in the water. She was soon joined by everyone else, which made the experience a lot more fun. The beach was renowned for it's big waves, so Alex & her friends, being the slightly risky type, enjoyed body surfing them, only to be completely swept away and submerged underwater until they had been dragged to shore by the water. It was enjoyable - the feeling of your body twisting and turning in the water and finding yourself washed up on the shore of the beach, and the best part was colliding with your friends underwater and ending up as a tangled mess on the sand. Alex felt herself colliding with someone as a big wave took them all by surprise. She could feel her limbs flailing around in the water until she landed on top of a body, panting and out of breath, Alex opened her eyes to find two big brown eyes staring right back at her.

It was Maggie.

Stumbling for words, Alex could feel the heat rush immediately to her face. 'I-uh-sorry-...I mean, I didn't mean to-'

Maggie laughed. 'Not the first time I've been in this situation, don't worry.' she said casually with a smirk. Alex let out a nervous chuckle & scrambled off Maggie as fast as she could. She dried off and tried her best to forget embarrassing herself.

After what felt like hours of lying in the sun, of talking, and secret glances at Maggie, Alex decided it would be best to get going. Everyone seemed to agree. Alex and Kara began their journey back home and Alex found her thoughts drifting to Maggie more than usual. She was mortified at the unexpected collision she'd had with the girl and wished she hadn't ended up in such an awkward situation. She shrugged it off and decided to talk to Kara instead.

'Kara?' Alex began, 'I had fun today.' was all she could think to say. She didn't want to bring up Maggie again but couldn't help retell the incident that happened between them to Kara, who found it highly amusing.

'That's hilarious. What d'you she meant by "being in that situation before"?' Kara asked nonchalantly. Alex hadn't thought about what it meant.

'I dunno. Maybe she likes getting swept away by waves.' Alex replied humorously earning another chuckle from her sister. Alex had begun warming up to Maggie, but still felt too nervous to talk to her. She knew it would happen eventually, but Alex felt as if Maggie was keeping her distance because of the day before. Not letting it get to her, Alex fell asleep that night with a fuzzy feeling in her stomach. She had fun today. Maybe change wasn't as bad as she'd thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! this is my first ever fanfic so im sorry if it's not great. feel free to give any writing tips as they'd be much appreciated :) 
> 
> if you have anything you'd like to suggest, talk to me on my tumblr (karadorkable)
> 
> \- Luna


	3. Chapter 3 - A New Beginning

The next day consisted of spending time with Kara and Eliza, going to a nice restaurant followed by a visit to the beach. What Alex loved the most about this place was her ability to be completely free - untouched by the outside world, she was free to roam all day and do whatever she wanted with whoever she wanted. The island had it's own quirkiness - as if it was somehow stuck in time, existing completely separately to the rest of the world.

The next morning, Alex woke up with a start. She could feel sweat dripping down her forehead and her whole body appeared to be uncontrollably shaking. After calming down, she glanced at the clock beside her bed: _5:39am_. She knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so took the opportunity to leave a message for her family for when they woke up.

_Hey you guys._

_Woke up early and couldn't sleep,_

_canoed to beach for a walk._

_Text if you need anything._

_Alex :)_

Alex had still felt slightly shaken from her dream (which she still couldn't remember) as she canoed her way over to Lobsterville beach. She'd taken more time than usual, letting the cold morning air clear her mind and cool her down. She felt a lot better once she'd reached the shore, and after pulling her canoe to shore, Alex began to walk the shoreline.

The crashing waves and cool air was able to clear her thoughts - she had finally remembered what her dream was about. It was about her dad. Jeremiah Danvers mysteriously went missing 8 years ago leaving the Danvers family torn apart ever since. She missed him everyday and hated to admit to herself that she was losing hope of ever seeing him again. She always shut off her thoughts whenever the subject of her dad came up, because she knew she wouldn't be able to cope with her brain imagining all possible things that could've happened to him. The dream she had remembered was terrifying - Alex was walking in a forest alone at night only to stumble upon her dad's...-

Alex's mind went blank once more as she let a tear roll down her cheek. Before she could stop herself, Alex was crying for the first time in months. She let herself go, and sunk into the sand as she remembered how much she missed her father, and felt no shame in letting herself be so vulnerable. She needed to cry. And after a few minutes, Alex had calmed herself down and was ready to continue her walk, but before she had the chance to get up, she saw a hand extend towards her and looked up.

Maggie.

'You okay there, Danvers?' Maggie said with a sympathetic smile. Alex knew Maggie had seen her crying, and felt no energy to boil up a believable lie.

'I wasn't, but I'm getting there.' Alex replied honestly as she took Maggie's hand & got up from the sand. She wiped a tear from her cheek and smiled. Maggie nodded and began to walk along the shore.

'What brings you here so early?' she asked Alex.

'I could ask you the same question.' Alex chuckled, but continued, 'I woke up early and needed to clear my thoughts, that's all.'

'Want to talk about it?' Maggie had asked, making Alex briefly stop in her tracks as she decided whether or not to tell Maggie what had happened.

'...You know what, that would be nice, actually.' Alex decided with a sigh, and proceeded to tell Maggie the story of her father's disappearance and the traumatic nightmare she'd had a few hours before. She noticed that she couldn't stop herself from telling Maggie exactly how she had felt, recounting the emotions that went through her brain and all of the things she couldn't even bare to tell herself at times. Maggie listened intensively and nodded at appropriate times. She didn't want to interrupt Alex on what seemed to be an emotional breakthrough, and only when Alex had finished talking, Maggie spoke.

'I had no idea, Alex. I'm sorry you and Kara had to go through with that.' Maggie begun sincerely. She didn't feel as if she was in the place to be giving any advice, but continued anyway 'I know that was hard for you to talk about so...thank you for trusting me.' she said with a smile.

'Sorry. About ranting. I just- I needed to get it all out. Thank you for listening to me.' Alex said quietly. She had felt guilty about disliking Maggie when they first met. Alex sighed and changed the subject. 'So what brings you here so early, then?' Alex asked inquisitively, glancing at Maggie to find her looking down at the ground solemnly. After a couple of seconds, the shorter girl replied in a quieter voice,

'I was- um, clearing my mind too, I guess. Needed some time to think.' Maggie confessed, glancing up at Alex with hope that the conversation would end there. Alex knew Maggie didn't want to talk about whatever was on her mind, so changed the subject.

'Have you been coming here often?' Alex inquired, which made Maggie snort.

'You using pick up lines on me already, Danvers?' she laughed, and after a pause, continued. 'And no, this is my first time here. My family usually go away every summer and this year we happened to come to Martha's Vineyard.' she stated.

'Where do you live?' Alex questioned, beginning to wonder what the girl's everyday life was like.

'I live just outside National City.' Maggie had said, which made Alex's heart race - Maggie lived so close to her!

'No way, I live in National City!' Alex exclaimed excitedly, earning a gasp from Maggie as they both began to talk about the strange coincidence.

'I guess fate wanted us to become friends.' Maggie had said amicably, making Alex red with happiness.

The girls began to talk about where exactly they lived and what their houses were like...Soon enough, they had talked about their happiest childhood memories, their everyday lives, their everyday friends and what it was like being in senior year. The conversation flowed so smoothly that Alex had completely forgotten about her nightmare that morning - she was chatting contently about things which made her happy, and she felt her heart grow as she saw how engaged Maggie was in the conversation. It was so nice to talk to someone so easily (other than Kara and her mother).

After what felt like hours of talking, Alex's phone had vibrated with a text from her sister.

**From: Kara** **-** _Got your note. Hope you haven't drowned. Mom's making pancakes. We'll save you some. :) Kara_

Alex felt slightly torn - she didn't want to leave Maggie, but she had to admit she felt starving after being up for hours. She looked at her watch: 10:01am. She had been talking to Maggie for hours, yet she knew she wanted to spend more time with her.

'My mom is making pancakes. Fancy coming over on my canoe?' Alex had asked kindly, but by the look on Maggie's face, Alex knew she was going to be disappointed with her answer.

'Listen, I'd love to, but I need to get home myself. Got some things to do. I'm free this afternoon if you wanna hang though?' Maggie replied, making Alex feel a lot better.

After exchanging numbers and agreeing to see Maggie later on, Alex hopped on her canoe and went home as Maggie drove away. Once she'd arrived and settled down for breakfast, she had decided not to tell Kara about her nightmare because of the risk of upsetting her, but she had gladly talked about seeing Maggie instead. Kara seemed overjoyed.

'Oh, I'm so glad, she seems so nice. I'd love to come hang with you guys today, but I'm going to see Lena. We're going for lunch near a place where they filmed Jaws.' Kara had said excitedly, making Alex smirk internally. She knew Kara had a crush on Lena, and wanted to tease her sister about it, but she was interrupted by her phone recieving a text message.

**From: Maggie S. -** _Do you have a bike? There's a vintage yard sale not too far from here. Or is that too boring for you?. - M_

Alex's smile grew wider as she texted her reply.

**To: Maggie S. -** _Haha. Very funny. That sounds great. Meet me at the Crab Shack at 12. -Alex_

Before Alex had even put her phone down, it received a new message and Alex felt her heart slightly leap.

**From: Maggie S.** **-** _Cool. See you then. :)_

Alex put down her phone and walked to her bedroom. She sat down on her bed and tried reading her new book, but her mind kept wondering to Maggie. She thought to herself that maybe Kara was right - maybe she _was_ going end up liking this Maggie chick after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hey guys! So happy to be writing this story and I can't wait to write more. I'll hopefully be writing a chapter every 2 days & I'll try and write as much as I can! :)
> 
> If you have any questions or want to talk about this fic at all, message me on my tumblr (karadorkable).
> 
> See you sooon!


	4. Chapter 4 - Old Finds

Alex's watch read 11:45am. It usually took 5 minutes to cycle to the Crab Shack but she didn't want to be late for her afternoon with Maggie.

As predicted, Alex arrived at 11:51 and was the first to arrive. She ordered two lemonades, one to keep her busy and the other for Maggie when she arrived. Just as she picked up the drinks, she felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around.

'Hey you.' Maggie greeted her with a warm smile. Alex loved the dimple that appeared whenever she smiled, and handed her the extra lemonade.

'Hey. Got you this.' Alex replied, smiling back. 'So where is this "boring" yard sale going to be?' she continued, replacing her smile with a smirk. Maggie chuckled.

'It's in Menemsha. A 20 minute bike ride, max. Loads of people are bringing their old crap over to sell it, so maybe we'll be able to find something cool.' Maggie casually stated, taking a sip from her lemonade. She was wearing a loose grey henley shirt with denim shorts and black converse. Alex had wished she looked as cool as Maggie did in such simple clothes. Alex, who tried to wear some colour for a change, was wearing a forest green button up shirt (with her sleeves rolled back so she looked casual) with brown shorts and black converse. After telling herself she didn't look as bad as she thought she did, the two set off on their journey to the yard sale.

_Cycling along these roads should be considered a form of therapy,_ Alex said to herself as she followed Maggie. Trees lined both sides of the road, and every now and then Alex would catch a glimpse of a family house, or a small shop, passing in the sidelines. The wind brushing against her short brown hair was such a wonderful feeling, and she loved the fact Maggie was enjoying it as much as her. Every now and then, Alex would hear the shorter girl sigh in contentment, or point out something beautiful to Alex, and she couldn't help but smile and appreciate how much Maggie enjoyed being in this moment.

'We're here! It's just up ahead, see the sign?' Maggie called back to her. The sign 'YARD SALE - VINTAGE ITEMS TO BUY HERE!' was big and hard to miss, and the girls turned right into the place and parked their bikes. Stalls lined up next to each other, selling food, drinks and old belongings whilst people of all ages were carefully browsing each stall. It was a sweltering hot day, so for the second time that day, Alex bought two lemonades for her and Maggie.

'Thanks Danvers. What do you want to see first?' Maggie asked, locking arms with Alex casually. Alex felt heat rising to her face and smiled.

'Well, I'm hoping to find an old camera. I've always been kind of fascinated with them.' Alex admits coyly. 'What about you?'

'Don't know. I'll know if I see anything.' Maggie says, dragging Alex by the arm over to the first stall. 'Shall we start with this one?'

'Sure.' Alex smiled. She was happy browsing the stalls with Maggie. Neither of them said much, just passing comments about some nice items they'd seen, but they didn't need to speak to have a good time. Enjoying each other's presence, the girls happily spent ages sifting through old junk in hope of finding something fun.

 

An hour and a half after arriving, the girls had split up when Maggie went to revisit another stall she particularly enjoyed. Alex didn't mind being apart; she secretly wanted to find something nice for Maggie as a token of gratitude for listening to her problems at the beach. She'd found a nice notebook for Kara and a necklace for her mom, but couldn't think of a good present for Maggie. She hardly knew her after all, they'd only been friends for a three days, yet she felt the desire to do something nice for her. Finally, when browsing a stall in the lower corner of the yard sale, Alex found the perfect gift: a vintage leather belt. Maggie had remarked on the beach that she needed a new one, and thought that wearing leather was badass, so it only seemed fitting for Alex to get it for her.

Hiding her goods in her bag, Alex met up with Maggie again and they decided to leave the yard sale. They'd explored every stall meticulously, and by the time they'd left (3:35pm), people were already beginning to pack up and leave. The bike ride home was even more beautiful than it had been the way there - the sun shone brightly through spotted clouds, illuminating patches of the road and making their surroundings look almost unreal.

Alex and Maggie arrived at Alex's house.

'Did you end up finding a camera, by the way?' Maggie asked.

'No, didn't think to look, really. I found some stuff for Kara and my mom though.' Alex replied, deciding to give Maggie the belt another time.

'Ah, nice. Well, as much as I'd love and spend every waking moment with you' Alex blushed as Maggie continued, 'I've got to get home. I'll see you tomorrow?' Maggie asked with a smile.

'Yeah. See you tomorrow.' Alex smiled in return, and walking to her front door.

 

'Hey mom.' Alex said as she walked through the door. Her mom was painting in the living room. 'Hey sweetie. Call for Kara, she should be outside.' her mom replied kindly, and continued with her painting of the lake outside.

'Kara, I'm hooooome!' Alex cried gleefully, hearing the sliding of the porch door and footsteps approaching her. Alex could just see Maggie cycling out of their driveway.

'Hey you.' Kara said affectionately, pulling Alex's attention back as Kara pulled her into a short hug. 'How was your day with Maggie?' she asked, pulling up a seat in the living room next to her mother and beckoning her sister to join her.

Alex enthusiastically retold the events of the day, and gifted Kara and her mom the notebook and necklace she'd bought - which Kara and Eliza adored. After finishing her tale, Alex listened to Kara's day out with Lena in turn. They had had lobster sandwiches in a small, nautical themed restaurant, which was also situated nearby a filming location of the movie Jaws (that Lena loved). The girls had spent the day looking at all the different locations, stopping off for ice cream and drinks when needed, and then spend an hour at the beach together. Alex enjoyed hearing how happy Kara seemed to be, her eyes lit up at any mention of Lena's name, and was in a joyful mood all evening. Alex felt as if she was making assumptions about her and Lena, but she couldn't help but notice how happy Kara was around her. The two had met up outside of holiday time, living only an hour away from each other, and whenever they did Kara was at her happiest. Alex chose to stay quiet, telling herself that if anything was going to happen, Kara would without a doubt confide in Alex, so she left it at that.

 

Tucked up in her bed in her room (it was too cold outside to sleep in the hammock), Alex took out the leather belt she'd bought for Maggie and put it on her bedside table. Tomorrow, the group were going to a festival in town, and didn't want to give the belt to Maggie in front of everyone else (in case they thought Alex was playing favourites), so decided the moment would come sooner or later. She replayed the day in her head happily, smiling to herself whenever she thought of a joke Maggie had said, or the sarcastic comment Maggie had made to the salesman who refused to bargain with her. Alex loved how funny Maggie was, without being hurtful in any way. Maggie loved to smile, and Alex loved it too, especially her dimple which appeared, or how her eyes shone whenever she laughed. Yet, Alex's mind couldn't help but drift to the morning she'd met Maggie on the beach. Something was still troubling the other girl, and Alex was determined to help her in any way she could after Maggie had been so supportive towards her.

Deciding not to think too much about it, Alex rolled over in her bed and began to drift off into a pleasant sleep, not dreaming about her father, or anything sad, instead Alex dreamt about a certain brown haired girl with warm brown eyes staring up at her - and it was one of the best sleeps Alex had ever had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N - Alex is so oblivious but I love it. Hope you enjoy this chapter! Any questions or suggestions, roll on over to my tumblr (karadorkable)!
> 
> See you soon for Chapter 5!


	5. Chapter 5 - A Night to Remember

Every year, there was a festival held in Oak Bluffs full of music, food, dancing, and games. The town was decorated in colourful banners and flashing rainbow lights, whilst the sweet aroma of all kinds of food wafted through the air. It began in the afternoon and carried on into the early hours of the night, uniting the inhabitants of the island to come together and celebrate as a community. It was one of Alex’s favourite parts about coming here every year - never feeling apart of a community in her own town, Alex loved the positive vibe the festival had and the feeling of being apart of something so beautiful.

Wearing a pink tank top (it was the only colourful thing she owned), black shorts and her usual black converse, Alex didn’t feel satisfied enough with her appearance for the festival. It was a festival of colour, and it was common knowledge to turn up wearing as many colours as you could.

 

‘Hey, Kara, can I borrow some clothes and makeup for the festival? You’re way more colourful than I am.’ Alex asked plainly as she walked into her sister’s room. She was definitely right - Kara’s wardrobe was anything but monochrome, but instead bursting with colour in every direction.

‘Of course. Can I do your makeup though?’ Kara asked. She’d always enjoyed experimenting makeup on Alex - to Alex’s reluctance - but gradually Kara understood what kind of makeup Alex liked on herself and they’d reached a peaceful agreement.

‘Yes please. You and I both know that if I even touch eyeshadow, I manage to get it everywhere _but_ my eyelids.’ Alex laughed, and sat herself down on Kara’s bed.

 

One hour later, Alex was happy with how she looked. Although her outfit wasn’t really bursting with colour (a purple shirt, pink shorts and her black converse), her makeup was the best it had ever been.

Kara had managed to paint rainbows onto Alex’s eyelids with her eyeshadow, with a bright purple lipstick and colourful face jewels sprinkled around her temples. Even Alex had to admit this amount of colour looked good on her, and thanked her lucky stars that Kara was as talented with a makeup brush as she was, because there would’ve been no way in hell that Alex could’ve replicated a look of the same level.

Kara had owned so many colourful dresses that she didn’t stand out as much as Alex did in her purple and pink getup, but with makeup similar to Alex’s, the girls looked as bright and colourful as ever and felt ready for the festival.

  

‘Wow, girls! You both look like...well, a rainbow personified, really.’ Eliza exclaimed excitedly. She was attending the festival with all of the parents too, and was wearing a colourful tie-dye dress she’d brought especially for the festival. After snapping a few pictures together, the Danvers family hopped into the family car and set off for Oak Bluffs.

As the family pulled up in the parking lot, Alex and Kara practically threw themselves out of their car seats. They slammed their doors shut and ran towards their annual meeting place (the big sculpture of some historian no one bothered to read about) to find their friends (and parents) awaiting them eagerly. Seeing them as a group together could hurt anyone’s eyes - all dressed head to toe in colour, the group were awarded with cheers and appreciation for the effort they’d all made for the festival. The parents decided to go for a drink before exploring the festival, and left their kids to do their own thing. Kara had immediately linked arms with Lena (whose outfit was an amalgamation of yellows, greens and blues) as Alex walked up to Maggie and greeted her with a warm hug.

‘Nice getup.’ Maggie stated with her famous smirk, earning a slap on the arm from Alex. ‘It’s called making an effort. Besides you look just as colourful as me.’ Alex defended. And it was true - Maggie was wearing a tie-dye shirt of pastel pink, blue and yellow, which contrasted with her skin colour beautifully, and some light pink shorts which had splatters of paint on them. Maggie had also sprayed her hair with pink and yellow hairspray, giving her the impression of having those chunky highlights everyone used to have in 2005. Alex giggled to herself, thinking about how silly her friends would look to anyone who wasn’t aware of the festival - yet, they were met with praise whenever they passed people in the street.

 

‘Where are we going to go first, then?’ Alex asked the group.

‘The food?’ Winn suggested, looking at Kara who was nodding her head furiously.

‘Sounds good. Knowing James, he’s probably brought some alcohol too and it’s best not to drink on an empty stomach.’ Lena said humorously, staring at James who winked and pointed to his bag.

‘You know me, Lena. Always prepared.’ James replied, making the group laugh.

 

After purchasing burgers and nachos galore, the group retreated to a park where they sat down happily eating in silence. Every now and then, Kara would groan with satisfaction ( _they were good burgers, okay?_ ), making the group laugh or groan in response. Once they’d all finished, James pulled out a big bottle from his satchel and unscrewed the top.

‘Right. Shots, anyone?’ he said as he poured the first shot and passed it to Mike, who downed it in one.

‘Mike, you’re supposed to wait for everyone else before you take the shot.’ Lucy sighed.

‘I know, I just needed one more than everyone else because you’re all such lightweights.’ He said sarcastically, making the group laugh. As James poured shots for everybody, Maggie turned to Alex and whispered:

‘I wonder what kind of drunk you are.’ she said inquisitively.

‘Well you probably won’t find out. There’s about enough for two shots each, so we won’t be drunk, just tipsy.’ Alex replied matter of factly, failing to see the humour behind Maggie’s statement.

‘Yes, but your birthday party is in two days and I’ll be really disappointed if I don’t see Alex Danvers dancing on table tops.’ she said with a laugh, making Alex grin and shake her head.

‘Oh god, you don’t want to see me dancing. Really. It’s horrible.’ she said whilst laughing. ‘But you will get to see me kick ass at beer pong.’ she added.

‘Ah of course. You strike me as the competitive type. I can imagine you’ll be real upset when I beat you.’ Maggie said nonchalantly with a smug look on her face, making Alex’s eyes widen along with her grin.

‘Is that a threat, Sawyer?’ she asked playfully, staring into Maggie’s eyes with a playful grin on her face.

‘You bet it is, Danvers.’ Maggie replied, passing a shot glass to Alex. ‘Bottoms up.’ was all she said before everyone collectively downed the alcohol, leaving grimaces on everybody’s faces.

Another shot later, the group headed into town for the festival. It was now 7 o’clock, which was a perfect time to appear; performances started at 8 and the festival had been on for two hours already, so things were already in gear by the time everyone arrived.

The friends had walked to the main stage and decided to meet there at 8 o’clock - in the meantime, people could spread out and do what they wanted for an hour, and then regroup to watch the performances.

 

‘What do you want to do?’ Alex heard Maggie ask. She didn’t know - the boys and Lucy were going to raid the bar (which Alex and Maggie couldn’t go to because they were underage), whilst Kara and Lena had appeared to have disappeared in a matter of seconds. Alex shrugged and looked back at Maggie.

‘I don’t know. Did you see where Kara and Lena went off to?’ Alex replied, scanning the crowd trying to find her sister.

‘Nope. We can try going on the ferris wheel if you’re up for it, though?’ Maggie asked playfully, grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling her towards the direction of the amusement park.

 

Alex wasn’t great with rides - in the long run she enjoyed the rush of adrenalin, but she felt as if there were plenty other (safer) ways to thrill seek. She could handle them though, and seeing the excited look on Maggie’s face once the ride started made it all worth it in the end.

It was a gorgeous view, Alex couldn’t deny it. Lights of all colours illuminating every corner of the town, as well as the brightly dressed people happily talking and dancing away - it was a beautiful moment. Alex glanced over at Maggie who was now standing in her seat in order to get a better view.

‘I hate these freaking shorts. They never manage to stay up properly.’ Maggie grunted as she yanked them up. Alex had remembered to bring the belt in case an opportunity arose - which it did - so Alex rummaged in her backpack and pulled out the black leather belt and spoke.

‘Here. I, um, got this for you at the yard sale. I forgot to give it to you, so, um, here.’ Alex mumbled, looking down at the ground. She felt really embarrassed all of a sudden. _Why did you buy her a belt? A belt is a weird gift to give someone. She’s going to think I’m an idiot,_ Alex thought to herself as she handed the belt to the brunette (who was now sitting) opposite her.

‘You really got this for me?’ Maggie asked in disbelief. Alex nodded slowly, as Maggie put on the belt and examined herself in it. ‘I love it, Alex! Thank you so much.’ She exclaimed excitedly, pulling the taller girl into a sitting hug. Alex let out a sigh of relief; _thank god that went well_ , she thought to herself.

 

After a few more rides in the amusement park, it was nearing 8 o’clock and the girls decided to head over to the main stage to find the others. They arrived, only to be greeted by everyone except for Kara & Lena. Alex smiled internally as she imagined her sister enjoying herself with Lena.

 ‘Hey girls.’ Lucy had greeted them kindly. ‘You seen Lera anywhere?’ she asked.

‘Who’s Lera?’ Alex and Maggie asked simultaneously, looking at the smirks on their friends faces.

‘Oh yeah, that’s our name for Kara and Lena. You never see them without each other so we’ve given them a couple name.’ Lucy laughed, ‘We’ve given you one too. You’re Malex.’

Alex knew everyone could see how red her face had become by the giggles that ensued. She glanced over at Maggie who had a smug look on her face, and said,

‘Malex, eh? Not too keen. You should’ve done it with our last names - Sanvers sounds way better.’ she said with a laugh, easing Alex’s embarrassment slightly. She felt better that Maggie was joking about it, but decided to change the subject back to Kara and Lena.

‘Do you want me to go and find them?’ Alex suggested.

‘Nah, they’ll rock up eventually.’ Lucy casually replied. ‘Besides, the show is about to start and I hear the main performer is hot as hell.’

 

Sure enough, Kara and Lena appeared at the main stage less than five minutes later. Looking slightly dishevelled, Kara’s cardigan was ruffled and her glasses seemed to be lopsided. Lena had managed to get her hair messy as well, but both of them seemed pretty overjoyed with themselves.

‘Did you get up to much?’ Alex asked curiously. Kara and Lena shot each other a glance and burst into giggles.

‘Yeah, we um, danced quite a bit.’ Kara said through fits of giggles. She looked happy, so Alex couldn’t care less about whether Kara was lying or not and turned her attention to the main stage.

 

After a few opening acts, the main performer (Alex didn’t catch her name) took to the stage and begun her performance. Looking as if she’d stepped off a Fleetwood Mac music video, she was dressed head to toe in indie 70s clothes which flowed in every direction. Her hair was dirty blonde and full of sparkles, and her eyes were bright blue and shimmering with glitter. Alex was mesmerised at how beautiful she looked. Turning to Lucy, Alex shouted through the music:

‘You’re right, Luce! She is hot as hell!’ making Lucy and the boys laugh. The singer’s songs were catchy - making the crowd dance and sway happily to the music as she sang.

Alex glanced at Maggie, who appeared to be staring at Alex with a glint in her eye, smiling happily at Alex who was swaying rhythmically to the music. Alex felt heat rush to her face and smiled at Maggie.

‘What is it?’ she asked.

‘Nothing,’ Maggie laughed, ‘you just look like you’re having fun.’ she stated with a gentle smile.

‘Oh god, is it my dancing? Shit, I knew it was bad, but not to the point of it being _laughable_ , I mean-’

‘No, no it’s not that. I’m just- I’m having a really good time.’ was all Maggie could say. Alex smiled kindly and grabbed Maggie’s hand through the crowd.

‘Good. Dance with me?’ Alex cheered. Maggie could feel a warm buzz in her chest as she felt the alcohol coursing through her body. She was tipsy, but it was a nice feeling and for once, she felt like she could let go and have fun.

‘Okay.’

 

After what felt like hours dancing, it was nearly midnight and everyone was exhausted. Another band was playing by this point, and people were still having fun, but the group had decided to call it a day. Gathering in the parking lot once again, Alex’s friends and their parents said their goodbyes. Most of them were all drunk, except for the designated drivers, and there was a happy atmosphere in the air. Alex was still buzzing slightly from the alcohol and felt sad the night was coming to an end. In the corner of her eye, Alex glanced at the back of the group and saw Kara and Lena embracing in a small kiss before parting ways - Alex had gasped and smiled to herself as the suspicions she’d had about her sister appeared to be true. On the drive home, she hadn’t said a word to Kara, but waited until her mom was fast asleep before she knocked on her sister’s bedroom door.

‘Hey.’ Kara smiled brightly as she patted a spot in her bed. Alex jumped in and begun talking about what a great night it was - about how happy Maggie had looked and how silly her hairspray was, how Lucy had come up with a name for the both of them and how they’d danced through the night. Kara listened intentively and a small smile crept onto her face.

‘Alex, I need to tell you something.’ Kara blurted out, making Alex’s eyes widen. ‘I’m seeing Lena.’ she said with confidence. She knew Alex would be fine with this, but it was big news to her.

‘I’m happy for you.’ Alex replied, giving Kara a small kiss on her forehead. ‘Besides, I saw you two kissing tonight so I kinda got the hint.’ she added, making Kara’s eyes widen with fear.

‘You don’t think anyone else saw?’ she asked.

‘No. You know they’ll be okay with it though. And mom. It’s no biggie.’ Alex replied.

‘Mom already knows, I told her the other day and she said she knew for a while.’ Kara replied humorously, making Alex laugh.

‘Thanks for being so supportive.’ Kara said sweetly as she turned off her bedside light.

‘Not a problem.’ Alex replied as she checked her phone. She had a text message from Maggie and felt her heart swell.

 

 **From: Maggie S** . - _I had a great time tonight. Thanks for making me dance like a loser. -M_

Alex giggled as she typed her reply.

 **To - Maggie S.** _\- Not a prob, you’re not as bad as me. I was wondering if you wanted to do something tomorrow? It’s okay if you have plans. I just - I had an idea that I think you might like._

 **From - Maggie S. -** _Don’t be silly, I’d love to. What time shall I come over?_

 **To: Maggie S** _. - 12. Bring your bike, and something for the beach._

 **From Maggie S** _. - Gotcha. See you tomorrow, Danvers. :)_

Alex was about to press send on ‘ _Can’t wait._ ’ but refrained from sending it. She turned off her phone and drifted to sleep in a matter of minutes, happily dreaming of the night she’d had watching Maggie laugh and smile, which was a sight Alex knew she never wanted to grow tired of seeing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy fuck this was so long. I'm so sorry x). 
> 
> Had way more fun writing this chapter than expected! Do excuse any typos, I have a splitting headache and I'm going to sleep as soon as I upload this. I'll re-read tomorrow to make sure there's no mistakes but I needed to update!  
> Enjoy (:


	6. Chapter 6 - A Special Place

It was morning. Alex hazily opened her eyes as she gazed to the clock beside Kara’s bed: _10:41am_. Kara was awake before her, as Alex turned to the other side of the bed to see empty sheets. Alex had slept in for a change - exhausted from the long night before, she felt her body slightly aching from the hours of dancing with her friends. She smiled as she remembered what a great night it was - seeing everyone so colourful and happy - especially Maggie. Alex’s brain woke up all of a sudden as she remembered she was seeing Maggie today, and that she’d be arriving in an hour and fifteen minutes time. Alex leaped out of bed as she hastily checked her phone for any new messages. What if Maggie texted to say she was going to come earlier? She wasn’t even dressed yet! She glanced at her phone.

Nothing.

Relief spread over Alex as she put down her phone and proceeded to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast. Kara was there already, in her pink pajamas, her hair in a messy bun,  eating waffles in a slight daze.

‘Morning.’ Alex greeted kindly.

‘M’nin.’ Kara mumbled back happily.

‘Are..you okay?’ Alex chuckled as she saw Kara lift the waffle to her mouth and dropped it hazily.

‘W-what?’ Kara said as she snapped out of her daze. ‘Oh. Yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking about stuff.’ she replied, letting a small smile onto her lips. _Ah_ , Alex thought. Kara was thinking about Lena.

  
Kara had come out as bisexual a year ago to her mother and Alex, so seeing Kara daydream about a girl was no surprise to her. Lena however, had an incredible effect on her sister.

Alex envied how happy Kara was whenever she spoke of Lena, and sometimes Alex believed she could figure out when Kara was even thinking of the dark haired girl, just by looking at the smile on her face. Alex had never fallen in love. She’d had past relationships, but none of them lasted. She never had that warm, fuzzy feeling people talk about when they talk about love, and felt flawed because of it. She never imagined spending her life with anyone, but imagined herself being alone in her own company. She was so used to being alone, that Alex believed she wasn’t capable of love. She loved her sister, and her family, that was certain. But with relationships, she felt completely incapacitated when it came to the other person.

Her last relationship was with a boy named Max. He was a nice guy, arrogant at times, but he was good looking and had charm. _Why not_ , Alex thought as she’d accepted his dinner invite. _Maybe he’ll be different_ , she thought, as she spent day in and day out trying to get herself to feel for him. And yet, despite Max’s good looks, charm and popularity - Alex didn’t feel a thing, broke it off with him, and left it at that.

She didn’t mind being single, of course. There was nothing wrong with that. But sometimes, looking at the pure look of happiness in Kara’s eyes whenever she was with Lena, Alex couldn’t help but feel as if she was missing out on something so amazing. She’d never understood the feeling of love, and hoped deep down that one day, maybe her heart will start working and maybe one day she’d understand what it felt like.

After Alex had eaten, she proceeded to her bedroom to get dressed. She had a fun day out planned with Maggie, and needed to be properly prepared. They were going to the beach, so Alex put her black bikini on under her clothes. Wearing a white baggy top, jean shorts and sandals, Alex felt dressed for the hot day ahead and packed her bag with the essential items; a towel, her sunscreen, money, her phone, and her baseball cap. Alex slumped back on her bed and looked at the time: _11:45am_. She still had fifteen minutes until Maggie arrived and toyed with putting some makeup on, but decided against it as she was going to go swimming. Retreating to her book for a few minutes, Alex had let the excitement die down inside of her until she heard a knock at the door. Her heart began to race as she leapt up from her bed and rushed to the door to open it.

‘Hey!’ Alex called brightly. Maggie glanced at her and smiled back warmly.

‘Hey you. You ready to go?’ she replied. Alex nodded and grabbed her bag from her room.

‘See you later guys. Text me if you need anything!’ was all Alex said before she rushed out the door, letting it slam behind her.

‘So where are you taking me, Danvers?’ Maggie asked curiously, putting her helmet on and mounting her bike. She was wearing a white linen shirt with black shorts, and Alex noticed the dark green bikini strap protruding from the top of her shirt. Maggie had her hair up in a high ponytail, a look which Alex loved. Alex caught herself staring and immediately responded.

‘Well, it’s my favourite place to go every year.’ Alex stated, putting her own helmet on and beginning to ride out of her driveway.

‘Yes, but where is that?’ Maggie pushed, wanting to know where Alex was taking her.

‘If you must know, we’re cycling to the lighthouse and having ice cream there. It’s got incredible views, and there’s a secret beach I found on the way back we could check out if you’re up to it.’ 

Maggie smiled kindly at Alex, her dimple making the taller girl smile back. ‘That sounds amazing.’ Maggie finally said.

 

After a few minutes of cycling, the girls had arrived at the beginning of their journey; an old bike ferry which took you across the water to other other side. It was an incredibly hot day, and Alex had regretted not taking any water with her as she felt her mouth slowly drying up. Maggie had noticed Alex was somewhat dehydrated, and pulled a bottle of water out of her backpack.

‘Here. I brought two just in case.’ she said, handing the bottle to Alex who enthusiastically took it from her.

‘Oh my god, thank you. I thought I was going to die before we arrive.’ Alex chuckled, sipping the water economically and sighing with contentment. The ferry journey was only a few minutes long, but Alex enjoyed looking down at the water for the crossing, seeing the dark turquoise water swarming with wildlife and seeing the sunlight bounce off the surface of the water. 

The girls had arrived the other side, and mounted their bikes once again. The road ahead of them was wide and long, it continued ahead into the distance, with nothing but signs to the lighthouse to guide them. It was completely exposed to the sun, making the journey slightly tiring, but Alex knew Maggie would appreciate the travel once they arrived.

‘So, are your family okay with you spending time with me?’ Alex had asked, the thought playing on her mind these past few days. Maggie had spent the majority of her time with the group or with Alex, and she wondered whether Maggie’s parents were okay with her spending as little time at home as she did.

‘What are you talking about?’ Maggie said with a slight chuckle.

‘Well, you haven’t spent much time at home. Are they okay with you being out of the house?’ Alex responded, slightly cautious with her words, making sure not to offend in any way.

‘If anything they’re probably grateful I’m out of the house. One less kid to worry about.’ Maggie begun, ‘I have three brothers and a little sister, so they’ve got enough on their plates.’

‘But surely they want to spend time as a family?’ 

‘Not really. Mom & dad wanted to have a holiday so rented a place here for two months. I don’t think they give a shit what I get up to as long as I let them know and don’t let them worry.’ Maggie replied casually.

Alex had wondered what Maggie’s family was like - and she could picture it. Little kids running around everywhere whilst Maggie did her own thing. _No wonder she’s so independent_ , Alex thought to herself as they continued to cycle. They were going downhill now, making the journey a lot easier, and the road was now shaded by some trees so they didn’t have the sun beating down on their backs all the time.

 

Alex and Maggie chatted happily about their friends - how Maggie had first met them (at the Crab Shack) and what her first impressions of the group were. 

‘What was your first impression about me?’ Alex asked curiously.

‘Well, I thought you looked pretty intimidating to be honest. And I thought you didn’t like me at first.’ Maggie replied casually, causing a pang of guilt to ripple through Alex’s chest. Alex had explained why that was - that yes, she did dislike Maggie at first - but that it was because she feared change, and now that she knew Maggie, she thought change wasn’t as bad as she thought.

‘I understand, you told me at the beach, remember? Don’t worry.’ Maggie reassured Alex with a smile. ‘I’ll race you to the lighthouse?’ she added, peddling faster with a smirk on her face.

‘Hey!’ Alex cried out in response, laughing as she peddled faster and faster, feeling the wind brush against her face, seeing how happy Maggie was, laughing and trying to overtake each other.

 

Maggie had arrived first - Alex let her win, obviously - once they caught sight of the lighthouse appearing in front of them. It wasn’t big, but it was oddly fascinating, especially to Alex who had a slightly odd obsession with them. Panting and out of breath, the girls dismounted their bikes and chained them to the bike rack.

‘This place is beautiful, Alex.’ Maggie said in awe.

 ‘Oh you haven’t seen half of it.’ Alex replied breathlessly, as she guided Maggie up the stone steps, past tourist shops, and up to a balcony. The view was incredible; the white cliffs covered in bright green grass looked so beautiful in comparison to the sea, which was a mix of all different kind of blues. In the distance, the girls could spot a ship sailing in the distance, looking remarkably like a pirate ship (to Alex’s excitement). Birds soared high above them, the sun shone as brightly as ever, and the wind gave the girls a slight breeze which cooled them to the perfect temperature.

Alex heard Maggie gasp in awe as she took in the view - her eyes shone so brightly in the sun and her hair, still messy from the bike helmet, moved with the wind. Alex was taken aback by how pretty Maggie had looked in that moment - slightly in awe herself of the girl who stood in front of her. Alex turned her gaze to the view and said in a slightly hushed voice:

‘This is my favourite place in the world.’ she said, feeling slightly exposed to Maggie. This place was Alex’s safe haven, and she was showing it to Maggie, who seemed as enamoured with the place as her. Alex smiled and offered to get ice creams for the both of them.

 

Once Alex had returned with the ice creams, the girls sat in silence on a bench outlooking the sea. They sat, pondering their own things, both completely immersed in the moment and the beauty of the view in front of them. They sat there for a while, occasionally smiling or stealing glances at one another, and Alex wished she could capture this moment forever. 

‘I wish I had a camera right now.’ Alex sighed. ‘The view is especially good today.’ she added, smiling at Maggie who appeared to be blushing slightly.

‘Oh, I almost forgot.’ Maggie exclaimed, rummaging in her backpack. ‘Your wish is my command.’ she added, handing an old Polaroid camera to the taller girl. Alex’s face contorted in shock, only for it to be filled with happiness as she realised what Maggie was giving to her.

‘I don’t understand.’ was all Alex could say. She stared up at Maggie who was glancing at her with a kind smile on her face.

‘I got it at the yard sale. I spotted it and went back to get it when we split up. I was going to give it to you at your birthday party, but I brought it today in case the occasion called for it. And it calls for it. I bought some film for it as well, so you’re all set. Take a picture!’ Maggie said, her smile increasing as Alex felt slightly overwhelmed with emotion.

‘I-I love this, Maggie. I love it so much. Thank you.’ she managed to say, pulling Maggie into a sincere hug. After the girls broke apart, Alex felt her heart swell in her chest and smiled down at the camera in disbelief. She pointed the camera towards the view, and took the picture. The film appeared seconds later from the bottom of the camera and gave it to Maggie so she could shake it. Whilst Maggie was doing exactly that, Alex pointed her camera at the dark haired girl and took another picture. Maggie looked up, surprised, and hid her face in her hands.

‘Too late, it’s been taken.’ Alex smirked, taking the film in her hand and shaking it.

‘Why on earth would you want a picture of me looking all sweaty? That film isn’t cheap, you know!’ she asked humorously.

‘Because I think you look beautiful.’ Alex said after a pause. She felt her mouth go completely dry and felt heat rush to her face. She was staring at Maggie, who was staring back at her with a glint in her eye, and for a moment the girls sat there in silence staring, before Maggie spoke up, slightly shakily.

‘You don’t look to bad yourself.’ she stated with a nervous laugh, handing the picture to Alex who put both polaroids in her bag. ‘So where is this beach you’re taking me to?’

 

Alex guided Maggie down a path which was easy to miss - a narrow gap between hedges which the girls could squeeze through with ease - and brought them to a secluded beach hidden in plain sight. It was small, that was true, but it was private and clean. Alex sat herself down on the beach and took out her towel. Maggie did the same. 

‘You know your way around this place.’ Maggie said kindly, giving Alex a nod of approval at the beach. 

‘I’ve been coming here for 8 years, I should hope so.’ she replied. She glanced over at Maggie who had taken her top off - leaving her in a dark green bikini top which made Alex’s mind go blank. Shaking whatever she was feeling off quickly, Alex too stripped off her normal clothes and suddenly felt over-exposed with only her bikini on. She had always felt happy in her own skin, but being alone with Maggie on such a private beach couldn’t help but make Alex feel like Maggie could see her for everything she was. _That doesn't make sense_ , Alex thought. She’d already shared so much information with her - some information even her closest friends didn’t know - and took a few seconds to breathe and relax into her own skin.

‘Can you put some lotion on my back?’ was what snapped Alex out of her daze. Whilst she was thinking, Maggie had already slathered herself in sun lotion, and was holding out the bottle for Alex to take. She grabbed it, her hand shaking slightly, and did as she was told.

Alex had finally covered herself in lotion, and almost didn’t want to ask Maggie to return the favour in fear of embarrassment, but she didn’t need to ask. Maggie had already grabbed the lotion and asked Alex to turn around so she could apply it. Once Maggie’s hand connected with her skin, she felt every hair on the back of her neck stand on it's end. It had felt like an electric shock, which coursed through her body, starting from the tip of Maggie’s finger and ending in the tip of Alex’s toes. She shivered slightly, thinking to herself that _it’s probably because the lotion is cold_ , but once it was over, Alex felt her body relax again and felt more at ease.

 

The girls spent the hour soaking up the sun, happily talking about everyday things, Maggie making a joke here and there, and Alex laughing accordingly. She loved how easy it was to spend time with Maggie. She could spend hours with her, just talking, and knowing it wouldn’t ever be awkward or forced, or feeling the need to impress Maggie in any way. Alex had decided it was time to cool off, and got up from her towel, sweaty and hot.

‘Well, I don’t know about you but I’m hot as hell.’ Alex stated.

‘I _could_ make a joke about that but I’ll keep it for another day.’ Maggie grinned in reply. She followed Alex into the cool water, feeling the sand brush against her feet and feeling the heat rise from her body. The girls took their time getting in, but once they had, that’s where they stayed.

‘Would it be childish if I splashed you right now?’ Alex asked, grinning at Maggie who had a look of disbelief on her face.

‘Are you threatening me?’ Maggie laughed, but before she could act, Alex had splashed Maggie with a big wave of water. The girls laughed hysterically as they attempted to soak the other, occasionally diving underwater to grab each other’s legs which were kicking in the water. They had fun for ages, laughing and playing, innocently enjoying the pure look of happiness on each other’s faces and the time spent with one another.

The girls decided to dry off and head home once the water was beginning to make them cold. Alex had just finished putting on her sandals before she saw Maggie grabbing Alex’s polaroid out of her backpack and beckoning the taller girl with her finger.

‘Come here.’ Maggie asked, ‘I want to remember this moment forever.’ she said sweetly as she grabbed Alex by the arm and pulled her towards her. They were head to head, smiling sweetly into the camera with a look of pure happiness on their faces. The polaroid spit out the picture seconds later, causing Alex and Maggie to wait for it to develop eagerly. Maggie looked adorable - her hair, which was now down, cascaded onto her tan shoulders (in a way that wasn’t fair, in Alex’s opinion). Her eyes shone brightly as Maggie smiled sweetly into the camera, her smile showing off the famous dimple of hers that Alex loved. Alex thought she didn’t look bad either - her hair was messy from the water, but it looked nice. Her smile was huge, which made her freckly nose slightly crinkle in a way she didn’t mind. Her eyes were narrowed from smiling but they were shining so brightly - _I've never looked this happy_ , Alex thought. But then she thought to herself, _I've never been this happy either_. Behind them, the sea was as blue as ever, contrasting with the now slightly pink sky, and Alex noticed the outline of the ship blurred out in the distance.

‘We look cute.’ Maggie stated. ‘You keep it, though. Let me just take a picture of it on my phone.’ Maggie continued as she snapped picture of the film on her mobile. Alex didn’t object, because she did want to keep the picture, but made sure to remember to google if replicating polaroid pictures was possible.

 

The way back went a lot quicker than Alex expected, they’d arrived at Alex’s house in a matter of no time. 

As the girls parked their bikes, Alex thanked Maggie again for the polaroid and gave her a goodbye hug. Alex felt like something was different between them - a weird tension which she couldn’t quite describe. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just unusual, and as Alex pulled away from Maggie, they briefly stopped and gazed into each other’s eyes before smiling and saying their goodbyes.

‘I had a great day today, Alex. The place really is beautiful and - I’m so happy you allowed me to see it.’ she said sincerely, cocking her head to the side with a genuine smile.

Alex felt like her heart had grown ten times bigger. ‘I’m happy I showed you, too.’ she replied quietly with a soft smile as Maggie hopped back on her bike.

‘See you soon.’ Maggie called back as she cycled away.

 _Can’t wait_ , Alex whispered to herself, turning back to her house and closing the door with a smile she couldn't wipe off her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things are gettin' serious! hope you enjoy. New chapter soon. :) Comments appreciated! If you want to ask me anything, head on down to my tumblr (karadorkable), any discussion is appreciated!
> 
> -Luna


	7. Chapter 7 - Racing Thoughts

Enveloped in a warm fuzzy feeling all evening, she kept glancing at the polaroid of her and Maggie and smiling, reliving the whole day in her mind on repeat. Nothing could bring her down today - not after sharing such a personal part of her life with someone and actually enjoying it. Alex had always been an incredibly secretive person - her friends didn’t know much about her thoughts or feelings, only the outside appearance she presented to the world. It was such a relief to open up to someone and have them understand you completely.

Lying awake at night, she wondered why she felt so vulnerable in front of Maggie. Whenever they were together, Alex felt at ease and had no trouble with expressing herself in front of the shorter girl. They had a mutual understanding, somehow - that both of them knew each other’s limits and boundaries, unspoken yet not unknown. In the short space of a week, Maggie had discovered Alex’s past, her most troublesome thoughts, and her most private, which made Alex realise that she didn’t know anything about the other girl. Apart from her life in National City, and brief mentions of family, Maggie was a somewhat mystery to her - a girl who used humour and sarcasm to protect herself. _Or maybe that’s just who she is_ , Alex thought. _Don’t be stupid. You can be funny and interesting at the same time._

 

Alex’s mind flashed back to the morning she’d met Maggie at the beach - she remembered seeing flashes of sadness on the dark haired girls’ face occasionally, and when asked why she’d come to the beach to clear her mind, Maggie had prefered not to say. Alex thought about what might have upset the girl, but couldn’t find an answer. She began to feel slightly guilty - Maggie had been so supportive towards her since that morning. _She got me that camera_ , Alex thought. _I’m going to be a better friend to her,_ she vowed to herself as she drifted off to sleep.

 

The next morning was spent with family- the Danvers took a trip across the lake for a morning at the beach. Alex enjoyed the quality time with her family, hearing Kara openly talk about Lena and the family chatting about everyday topics.

‘So what’s put you in such a good mood lately?’ Eliza asked Alex, who was drawing hearts absent mindedly in the sand.

‘What do you mean?’ Alex replied with a smile.

‘Well, you’re happier than I’ve ever seen you.’ Eliza stated, making Kara glance in Alex’s direction with a slight glint of hope in her eye.

‘You know I love coming here.’ Alex stumbled slightly with her words, hating how the attention was now on interrogating her. Yes, she was happier than usual, but she usually was on holiday and thought there wasn’t anything different with her behaviour.

Eliza abandoned the subject once she’d understood Alex’s reluctance to talk about it and decided to change the subject.

‘Is Winn still seeing that Siobhan girl?’

‘No, they broke up ages ago.’ Kara replied, making Eliza sigh with relief.

‘Good, I didn’t like her one bit. Winn is such a sweet boy, he could do so much better than her.’ she replied fondly.

‘Well,’ Kara began, glancing sideways at Alex as if to catch her reaction, ‘He’s thinking about asking Maggie out tomorrow at Alex’s party.’ she continued, her gaze still on Alex who had now turned her attention to the conversation.

‘He’s what?’ Alex stuttered with shock. She had remembered James telling her that Winn liked Maggie, but had no idea he was actually being serious.

‘He’s going to ask her out.’ Kara repeated, examining the look on her sister’s face attentively.

 

Alex was slightly lost for words. There was no denying Winn was a lovely boy, but Alex couldn’t help but feel defensive that he wanted to ask out her friend. Alex imagined Maggie and Winn together, and felt a slight uneasy feeling come upon her.

‘D-d'you think she’ll say yes?’ Alex asked curiously, inexplicably concerned about this piece of gossip.

Kara smirked.

‘I don’t know.’ was all she replied. A flood of thoughts overcame Alex - she loved spending time with Maggie. She should be happy at the thought of her being happy with Winn, but somehow felt like her new friend was going to be ripped away from her. Alex knew she had a special connection with the girl, something unlike any friendship she’d had before, and the risk of losing Maggie to Winn made her heart drop in her chest.

Alex was silent throughout most of the morning after that conversation. She was trying to convince herself to be happy about it but just couldn’t seem to. Alex had thought of herself as a bad friend - her jealousy was affecting her more than her desire to see Maggie happy and couldn’t bare to think about it anymore. She spent the rest of the morning reading silently and trying desperately to clear her mind of any negative thoughts.

 

That afternoon, the girls had plans to go to the Crab Shack for a lemonade, but Alex felt the strong desire to cancel.

‘Kara, I don’t feel like going today.’ she muttered as her sister came into her bedroom. She saw Kara smile an understanding smile and sad herself down on Alex’s bed.

‘Look, if this is because of what I said-’

‘It’s not.’

‘Alex…’

Alex sighed. There was never any use in lying to Kara, she always knew when Alex was telling the truth.

‘Fine. Look, I just don’t want to lose Maggie as a friend.’ she stated grumpily. Kara smiled again and listened to Alex as she had explained her connection with the girl and how it stood out from the rest of her friendships.

‘I think you need do some thinking about this.’ Kara said simply. ‘About why you feel the way you do.’ she continued.

Alex rolled her eyes. ‘I have, and I’m just being selfish, I don’t want to lose her to a relationship and I can’t help but feel that way. I’ll get over it.’ Alex replied. She couldn’t help what happened between Maggie and Winn, and told herself regularly throughout the rest of the morning that if she was to be a good friend to Maggie, she had to learn to cope. _It couldn’t be that bad_ , she thought.

 

After finally giving in to Kara’s pleading, Alex finally agreed to going to the Crab Shack to see the group. It was now two o’clock, and the girls were greeted warmly as always by their friends.

‘Hey you two.’ Lucy greeted. ‘Get up to much today?’

‘Beach and gossip with mom.’ Kara said humorously with a nod towards Winn. Alex felt sick.

‘Ahh, so you _have_ heard. Pretty much everyone knows except Maggie herself. She’ll find out tomorrow though. Or today, depending on if Winn has the balls to ask a girl out without being drunk.’ Lucy said in a hushed voice, trying not to be overheard by Maggie.

Alex had decided to distract herself and talk to Maggie instead of hearing all the rumours about her from everybody else.

‘Sup Danvers.’ she said with her usual smile.

‘Not much. Kinda hungry.’ Alex replied casually, taking a seat on the bench next to Maggie.

‘Me too, actually. Fancy getting some food with me?’ she suggested.

‘What, now?’

‘Yeah, there’s that sixties looking gas station right next door and they sell some food I think. You up for it?’ Maggie asked, glancing at Alex who looked slightly confused.

‘Uh, we’re at the Crab Shack, they do food here.’ Alex replied matter-of-factly. Maggie stuck her tongue out and spoke.

‘Yeah, I know. I’m not stupid, you don’t want to be here so I’m offering you a chance to get away for a while. Unless the reason you don’t want to be here is me.’ Maggie added quickly with a laugh.

‘How do you manage to read my mind? I can’t stand the sight of you.’ Alex joked. ‘You’re right, though. I kind of want to go for a walk or something. Can we?’ she asked.

‘You don’t have to ask me twice. Let’s beat it.’ Maggie said decisively as she leapt from the bench and dragged Alex by the arm.

‘We’re going to get some stuff from the gas station. Won’t be long!’ Maggie said quickly, hoping no one would have the chance to ask to tag along, and dragged Alex out of the Crab Shack.

 

Alex had felt the tension rise from her body once she’d left the Crab Shack with Maggie. It was clear all people wanted to discuss Winn’s new found crush, and it was created an atmosphere neither Alex nor Maggie wanted to be a part of. Walking to the gas station in silence, the girls bought some sandwiches and proceeded to walk further down the road towards the beach. It was still daytime, however the clouds in the sky had given the impression of it being later, making the atmosphere rather gloomy.

‘So what was eating you back there?’ Maggie broke the silence, happily taking a bite out of her sandwich as she sat on a small sand dune.

Alex didn’t want to tell Maggie the real reason why, in fear of a negative reaction, and took it upon herself to concoct a believable lie.

‘I had another nightmare about my dad last night, so I’m still feeling a bit, uh...distraught.’ Alex had said as she sat down next to Maggie, feeling bad for using her dad as an excuse for a lie.

Maggie gave Alex a sympathetic smile. The taller girl felt arms snake around her waist and felt her breath hitch in her throat. She looked at Maggie who was beckoning her for a hug. Alex leaned towards Maggie and rested her head on the other girl’s shoulder. Alex felt Maggie’s arm move to Alex’s shoulder and felt her thumb slowly graze her skin. Alex lost all ability to think and sat there in Maggie’s arms, feeling nothing but goosebumps and chills which shivered down her spine whenever Maggie moved.

They sat there for ten minutes, chatting about other things and taking their minds of the other people. Alex didn’t know how, but Maggie had the ability to make her forget everything negative. Despite what she was feeling this morning, Alex felt safe in Maggie’s arms - like all the bad in the world had completely vanished. Alex wished she could freeze time and stay like this forever. She thought of how lucky she was to have Maggie as a friend, someone who understood her, someone who had an unspeakable connection with her, and someone who managed to make everything seem okay. They sat there for a little longer, gazing out onto the sea where ships and ferries were passing calmly in the distance.

 

Not wanting to worry the crowd, and now feeling replenished, the girls headed back to the Crab Shack. They spent the afternoon chatting with friends, laughing and drinking, and Alex had forgotten completely how awful she had felt that morning.

As the sun began to set, the group decided to go their separate ways and head home. Kara and Lena kissed goodbye as Kara mounted her bike and began to ride off. Alex hadn’t expected her sister to leave to abruptly and quickly mounted her own bike and began to follow without saying goodbye. As the girls were about to turn the corner away from the Shack, Alex looked back at the group and shouted a hasty ‘Bye!’ before she stopped in her tracks.

Winn and Maggie talking away from the group, alone, and deep in conversation. Alex felt her heart drop and kept pedalling. _Winn was going to ask her tomorrow_ , she said to herself angrily. _Why didn’t he wait until tomorrow?_  Alex felt a sudden surge of emotion as the thought of Maggie leaving her flashed across her mind - and suddenly tears were trailing down her cheeks. She peddled faster, trying hard to stop herself from crying as she picked up speed, but only found herself to cry harder. _Why am I crying_? _You’re being ridiculous. Pull yourself together. It’ll be okay. You’ll still see her, and she’ll still want to see you._ Alex’s mind was racing with thoughts and she couldn’t quite make sense of them all. She arrived home way before Kara, parked her bike and sped off in the direction of her room, closed her door, and slumped on her bed.

  
It was only four o’clock, but Alex attempted to force herself to sleep to avoid thinking. She couldn’t bare the thought of Maggie with Winn. She didn’t know why, but the thought alone made her want to be sick. She didn’t want to think about that anymore. She was sick of thinking about it. Burying herself in her book, Alex absent mindedly read through the pages, not actually taking in what it said, and spent the rest of the evening distracting herself from any thoughts. Once it was late enough, she took one of her mother’s sleeping pills and fell asleep in a matter of minutes, desperately trying to escape the thoughts she couldn’t bare to think of.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alex being a jealous girlfriend without knowing she's being a jealous girlfriend. It'll click into place soon enough, I just don't want to rush anything :) Hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a brief chapter, delving into her feelings a bit, but it's setting up the scene for chapter 8.  
> Chapter 8 is Alex's party & shit goes down! Hopefully uploading that chapter tomorrow. 
> 
> All feedback appreciated, it makes me write faster :) Head on over to the story's tumblr (karadorkable) for any extra info you'd like to know about :) 
> 
> see you soon
> 
> Luna xo


	8. Chapter 8 - Alex's Party

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all are about to flip shit lol. enjoy <3

Alex woke up the next day with a splitting headache. _12pm_ . She took her time waking up, feeling groggy and tired as if she’d been drugged. _Oh_ , Alex said to herself as she remembered taking the sleeping pill the night before. Then she remembered why she had taken it, and felt a lump in her throat arise almost immediately. With a sigh, Alex decided to drag herself out of bed and canoe to the beach to clear her mind, and secretly praying Maggie wasn’t going to see her there. Kara and Eliza were supposedly out buying groceries, so Alex left them a note and headed to the deck.

Alex’s mind was blank the whole crossing, feeling as if she was physically incapable of processing any thought whatsoever. She gazed at her surroundings on the lake, and the view ahead of her, but her mind stayed completely wiped from thought and emotion. She’d become numb.

 

Alex sat herself down on the sand and sighed. _Okay, time to figure this out_ , she said to herself, determined to get to a solution.

Maggie was her friend, and Alex had loads of friends. Maggie was a different kind of friend, though. Maggie knew more about Alex than the rest of her friends did, and Alex felt completely safe talking to the girl about anything. She loved spending time with her, and when they were together, Alex had never felt so relaxed and happy at the same time. It was almost like she’d discovered a new feeling by hanging out with Maggie, but couldn’t quite figure out what it was yet.

Alex had come to the conclusion that she was overwhelmed with the special bond she had with Maggie, and felt like Winn would somehow break said bond. _This is all hypothetical overreaction. When Maggie and Winn start dating I’m sure Maggie and I will spend as much time together. This is going to be fine._

Alex felt better once she’d organised her thoughts and decided to head home for lunch. It was 2pm by the time she had arrived, and sat herself down at the table with her family. She noticed Kara staring at her with hurt behind her eyes, and mouthed ‘are you okay?’ to her sister opposite the table. Kara smiled a somewhat sad smile, and nodded back.

‘Now girls, I trust you both so you know I won’t mind either of you getting embarrassingly drunk tonight.’ Eliza said cheerfully, making Alex and Kara almost spit out their food stifling their laughter. ‘Actually, I’m kind of hoping you get really drunk. You both are so well behaved, so it would be nice to see you act like rebellious teenagers for once.’ Eliza said with a laugh, and proceeded to tell them the rules. They were to text Eliza when they were on their way home (James’ house was a 15 minute walk from the Danvers’) and call her if there was any trouble.

 

The party started at eight, so the girls had a few hours to kill before getting ready. They decided to go for a cycle up to the local park to have chat.

‘Kara, are you sure you’re feeling okay today?’ Alex asked once they’d arrived.

‘Why do you ask? I’m perfectly okay.’ Kara replied, confused at why her sister thought she was upset.

‘You were looked like you wanted to cry at lunch.’ Alex exaggerated, earning a slap on the arm from her sister.

‘I did not.’ Kara teased back with a smile.’If you must know, I looked sad because I was worried about you.’ she continued softly.

‘Worried about me? Why?’

‘Well, yesterday you were feeling awful after the morning at the beach with mom, and once you’d cheered up that was fine, but after we left the Crab Shack, you locked yourself away and I didn’t even see you until this afternoon. Mom noticed a sleeping pill gone from her bag too, Alex. You seem like you’re really struggling with something and I want to help you.’ Kara said, looking down at the ground.

Alex sighed.

‘I just needed to think about some stuff that’s been on my mind lately. All of my thoughts have clouded together to the point where they were overwhelming me, and I took the sleeping pill to stop thinking about it all. This morning I went to the beach and thought it all out. I feel better now.’ Alex finally said. Kara looked happier, but still not completely satisfied.

‘Okay. Have you got anything to tell me?’ Kara added, the glint in her eye flashed with hope.

‘No, I told you, I’m feeling better now.’ Alex repeated. She caught Kara debating whether to say something or not, and decided to keep quiet. The girls changed the subject to the party and talked for another hour, happily sitting in the warm sun.

 

As they got back, the girls retreated to their rooms and occupied themselves for a while. Once it neared 5:30, they decided to get ready for the party - they’d agreed to turn up an hour early to help set up, so they had an hour and a half to get ready.

The party wasn’t anything formal, just a gathering if anything, but Alex wanted to look good (as the party was being thrown for her). She put on a dark red sleeveless skater dress with some white converse (she wanted to look cool) and curled her hair into soft ringlets. She asked Kara to do her makeup, which turned out to be a great success. Her eyes looked stunning - covered in dark shades of eyeshadow, Alex’s long eyelashes and dark brown eyes looked the best they ever had. Not being the type to wear lipstick, Alex put on some pink lipgloss and felt satisfied with her look.

 

As the girls set up the party with James, Alex felt nervous to see everyone and took a preliminary shot with James and Kara before greeting their first guest - Lucy Lane, who was wearing a dark blue dress which accentuated her bright blue eyes. They chatted for a while and gradually, by 8:30, everyone had arrived apart from Maggie and Winn. Alex felt her heart in her chest as the time went on, wondering whether the couple were together or not and whether they were hanging out together before the party.

Finally, Alex heard a knock at the door and opened it to see Maggie, dressed in a dark green knee length dress and black ballet pumps, smiling up at her. Alex was speechless at how beautiful she looked - her makeup was subtle, but she looked so different from what Alex had seen and felt her heart flutter in her chest - she was so happy to see Maggie standing at the doorstep.

‘You clean up nice.’ Maggie said casually, gazing at Alex who was now red in the face with embarrassment.

‘You do too.’ Alex replied nervously with a smile and ushered her in.

Winn arrived shortly afterwards and the party officially kicked into gear, music was blasting from each direction, with people dancing and drinking in each corner of the house.

 

‘Okay, who wants to play beer pong?’ James shouted, earning a round of cheers and applause from the friends.

‘Time to put your training to the test, Kara.’ Alex said to her sister, who was playing against Winn.

After winning, Kara challenged Alex to beer bong and won again, to Alex’s disgrace.

‘I can’t believe it. I _trained_ you! And you’ve just destroyed me.’ Alex laughed hysterically, now tipsy off the shots of beer she’d just downed. ‘I am not leaving this party until I play Maggie!’ Alex shouted gleefully. ‘Sawyer, get your ass over here and prepare to get wrecked.’ she teased.

‘I’m not going to reply with a sarcastic comment because you probably will wreck me.’ Maggie laughed as they began to play.

Sure enough, Alex won by one point but decided to down the last shot with Maggie for solidarity. Lena had taken a polaroid of the two of them; Alex posing like a champion above Maggie, who was wearing an ironic look of defeat on her face. Everyone was quite drunk by now, taking shots in the kitchen or challenging each other to various drinking games.

Alex had forgotten about the Winn & Maggie situation until she was outside by the pool and spotted Winn who was lying in a deck chair, smiling happily to himself and appearing to be significantly drunk. Alex hobbled over to him happily, the alcohol giving her the courage to ask the question she’d be waiting to hear the answer to all day.

‘So I heard, that you like Miss Maggie Sawyer.’ she said with a smile and a chuckle, trying to hide the small feeling of hurt still bubbling in her chest. Winn laughed and shook his head with a smile.

‘My god, I can’t like anyone without the whole town finding out.’ he laughed and continued, ‘The rumours are true.’

‘Well? How did it go? I saw you two talking yesterday.’ Alex asked eagerly, trying to appear as if she wanted them to be together so she wasn’t suspected for being jealous.

Winn smiled again.

‘You’re observant, Miss Alex Danverssssss’ Winn slurred happily, making Alex’s heart drop slightly. He didn’t appear to be upset, so Maggie must’ve said yes. ‘Too bad she’s not into me.’ he laughed.

‘What? Why?’

‘Not her type I guess. It’s fine, it was only a little crush anyway.’ he replied casually, unaffected by the rejection. ‘Now if you’ll excuuse me, I am going to drink some more.’ he said as he got up from his chair and headed inside.

 

Alex took Winn’s place on the deck chair and spent a few minutes feeling guilty at how happy she also felt. Just as she’d arrived inside, she heard a voice call her back out out.

‘Hey, I was wondering where the party girl was.’ Maggie said as she caught up with Alex. The two took a detour and strolled through James’ garden which was illuminated with string lights of various colours.

‘I was just talking to Winn.’ Alex said, glancing at Maggie who had an embarrassed smile on her face.

‘You heard about the rejection, I suppose.’ she replied.

‘Yeah. I honestly thought you’d say yes. He’s a sweet guy.’ Alex replied honestly.

‘Yeah, well that’s the problem.’ Maggie laughed. ‘He’s a guy.’

‘What are you talkin-’

‘I’m not into guys, Alex. Surely you knew that by now?’ Maggie replied humorously with a playful slap on the shoulder. Alex felt her mind go completely blank as she stuttered her next words.

‘Y-you’re not into- wait. Are you saying that you’re-’

‘Into girls? Come on, even I thought it was obvious. Maybe I need to wear more plaid.’ Maggie joked, but all Alex could do was try and process this new information.

‘Huh.’ Alex stated plainly. ‘Into girls.’ she repeated.

‘Now come _on_ , they’re playing truth or dare inside and I can’t help but love that game.’ Maggie said as she grabbed Alex’s hand and pulled her inside.

 

‘Heyyy! Malex has arriveddddd.’ Kara shouted gleefully, taking a swig of her beer. They were all sitting in a circle, facing an empty beer bottle which was placed in the middle.

‘Right. Let’s see who’s going first.’ James begun as the girls sat down in the circle. The bottle turned and turned until it landed on none other than Alex’s sister, Kara.

‘Kara.’ James exclaimed excitedly, ‘Truth. Or dare?’

‘Truth.’ Kara replied, smiling happily at the circle who were cheering her decision.

‘What’s the deal with you and Luthor?’ James asked. Alex felt her mouth go slightly dry. She didn’t want Kara to come out if she wasn’t ready, and glanced at her sister who was still smiling happily. She saw Lena nod her head in approval at Kara, who spoke.

‘We’re dating.’ she said she burst into a fit of laughter. The circle cheered happily as the girls embraced in a quick kiss to prove their point.

‘I think we all knew that by now, but I wanted reassurance.’ James said happily with a smile. ‘Happy for you two.’ he added kindly.

The next few rounds were fun; Winn was dared to kiss Mike, Lucy had to tell the group an embarrassing secret, and James had to dive into the pool naked. Everyone was having fun as the bottle spun around again, this time landing on Alex.

‘Aleeeex!’ Mike begun. ‘Truth or dare?’

‘Uh, truth.’ she stuttered, not wanting to get dared to join James in the pool.

‘Do you or do you not have the hots for Maggie?’ he asked, causing Kara to choke on her drink and for the rest of the group wolf whistle at the question.

Alex felt heat rush to every area of her face and had lost all ability to speak. She glanced at Maggie, who had a worried, yet curious look on her face. Alex gulped down some beer and finally spoke.

‘Yep. Totally.’ she said sarcastically with a nervous laugh, making the crowd happy as they cheered in response. The bottle was already spinning again and it landed on Maggie who appeared to be flustered, as Lucy asked the question.

‘Maggie. Truth or dare?’ she asked.

‘Dare.’ the dark haired girl replied. Maggie had said dare to avoid any similar questions they’d aimed at Alex, but regretted her decision as a smirk appeared on Lucy’s face. _Oh no, please don’t,_ she thought to herself but it was already too late.

‘You know what I’m going to ask...kiss Alex.’ Lucy smiled, causing everyone to cheer louder than they ever had. Alex couldn’t believe this. Why were they so obsessed with her and Maggie?

‘I don’t want to make Winn feel bad.’ Alex had tried as a comeback, making everyone laugh.

‘Honestly I’m drunk so you two kissing would actually be pretty hot.’ Winn replied with a slur, making the group laugh, but making Alex huff slightly in frustration. _Not the reaction I was hoping to get_ , she thought to herself.

She glanced over at Maggie who appeared to have a ‘let’s get this over with to make them happy’ face. Alex smiled and nodded as she saw the dark haired girl waiting for approval. Alex saw Maggie getting closer and couldn’t quite believe what was happening until she felt her lips collide with the brunette's. Her mind went completely blank as she felt her whole body shiver, as if she was radiating some sort of warm energy, and couldn’t help but feel enveloped by the feeling. She felt Maggie’s hand move up to her neck, and felt her skin burn under Maggie’s touch; Alex finally closed her eyes and let herself enjoy the feeling, her heart beating so loudly in her chest that she was sure everyone else could hear it, and felt a lump in her throat as if she was about to cry. It was over in seconds, Maggie smiling to her casually after the kiss, and the game continued like it had never happened. Alex, however, couldn’t stop thinking about it. It was on her mind the rest of the night, despite the amounts of alcohol she’d consumed, and felt slightly light headed since it had happened.

 

The party came to an end when it was nearing 3am, people gradually leaving for their houses and clearing up the mess they’d made at James house. Kara and Alex stumbled home happily, singing songs at the top of their lungs or laughing hysterically at jokes they’d made up.

By the time they got home, Eliza was already asleep, and the girls got themselves into bed in a drunken mess. Alex’s head was still spinning, the feeling of the kiss still lingering on her lips, and stayed awake for a while, on the verge of tears. It was like every piece of the puzzle finally fit together; why she was jealous of Winn asking Maggie out, why she was happy when she found out she’d rejected him, why she was happy whenever she was around the girl, and every other emotion Alex had felt towards Maggie suddenly made sense. Alex couldn’t quite admit it to herself yet, overwhelmed with the feeling of realisation, and drifted off to sleep, riddled with emotions she didn’t want to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> alex is beginning to realise!!!!! she knows maggie is gay!!! lena and kara are out n proud!!! the gayest chapter so far. 10/10 would write again
> 
> feedback is always appreciated, as you know it makes me write faster and it makes me happy as hell. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Head on over to my tumblr (karadorkable) to discuss anything! Or tag any of your posts Sanvers ASOL and I'll see them :)
> 
> love you guys (: 
> 
> Luna xo


	9. Chapter 9 - At Peace

Alex woke up with a headache for the second time in a row. _5:51am_. _Great_ , Alex thought miserably as she slowly pulled herself up from her bed and put on some clothes. She hadn’t thought about her actions at all that morning, walking around in an emotional daze and finding herself at the beach once again where the crashing waves brought her to her senses. 

Last night, everything had made sense. Alex knew what she was feeling and didn’t want to say the words out loud, but she knew the moment her lips touched Maggie’s, that she had liked the girl as more than just a friend. It explained her connection with her, it explained the happiness Alex felt around her, and explained every thought that Alex had had about the girl.

Yet all Alex could do was cry; tears streamed down her face as she sat in the sand, her face buried in her arms, and cried for what felt like hours. It felt like she was releasing every emotion she’d felt since she’d arrived here; the hurt, the jealousy, the happiness, the love - Alex cried until her throat was sore and her face was raw from the cold air hitting her tear stained face.

 _What does this mean?_ Alex thought to herself as she tried to figure out what to do next. She’d realised her feelings for Maggie, but didn’t know what they meant for her. She’d never thought of the possibility of being attracted to women, even when Kara had come out as bi a year before. She was so used to feeling nothing towards men and interpreted that as not being attracted to anyone - of course she didn’t know she liked Maggie, she didn’t know what it felt like to like someone like _that_ in the first place. She gathered her thoughts and decided to text the only person she wanted to talk to: Kara.

 **To: Kara -** _Hey, I’m at the beach. Can you come over? I need to talk to you about something._

Alex pressed send and continued to try and make sense of her feelings. She wasn’t expecting Kara to reply for a while, since it was only 6am, but she was surprised to see her sister canoeing towards her twenty minutes after the text was sent.

Alex knew immediately that Kara had noticed she’d been crying - it was relatively obvious; her eyes were still red, her lips were swollen and her leftover eye makeup had managed to leak slightly onto her cheeks. The sight of Kara looking so worried reduced Alex to tears again, as she felt her sister hug her tightly and whisper ‘it’s okay’ repeatedly.

They’d stayed like that for a few minutes, Alex trying desperately to stop crying but only found herself to cry harder, her whole body shaking violently in Kara’s arms who was still holding her tightly. Alex finally gained control over herself and sat herself down on the sand, joined by Kara who immediately put her arm around her sister and waited for her to gain control over her breathing. Alex sighed a shaky breath and spoke.

‘I don’t know how to tell you this.’ Alex stated, as tears prickled her eyes as she spoke.

‘Is it Maggie?’ Kara asked quietly. All Alex could do was nod. Kara took a breath and continued. ‘Alex, it’s okay.’ was all she could seem to reply.

‘How long have you known?’ Alex asked, her eyes gazing down towards the ground.

‘Since the day you went to the yard sale together.’ Kara said with a smile, ‘I’d never seen you so happy, and part of me hoped it was because you had feelings for her but I didn’t say anything.’

‘Was it obvious? God, how did I not notice-’

‘Alex, you’re my _sister_. I live with you. I speak to you _everyday_ \- I know you better than I know myself, and I could tell you liked Maggie more than your usual friends. It wasn’t obvious, but I picked up on it.’

Alex felt slightly reassured and smiled for the first time that morning.

‘Why didn’t you say anything?’

‘I tried asking you when we went to the park yesterday. I could see you were struggling with this and I thought you’d figured it out, but you hadn’t and I didn’t want to be the one to tell you. I wanted you to figure it out yourself because I could’ve been wrong.’ Kara replied honestly. Alex appreciated the thought Kara had put into this and asked her her next question.

‘Do you think mom knows?’

‘I think she’s beginning to cotton on slightly. You’re different when you talk about Maggie and she’s bound to pick up on it soon, but she hasn’t said anything to me yet.’

Alex felt relieved talking to Kara about her feelings. She knew her sister would be understanding and patient with whatever she had to say.

‘I just- I don’t know where to go from here, Kara.’ Alex begun. ‘I like Maggie, and that is _so_ scary for me to even think about. It’s so new to me, and I’ve never felt like this about anyone and I don’t know what to _do_.’ she said with a look of terror on her face.

‘Well, breathe for starters because you look like you’re about to pass out.’ Kara smiled, making Alex nervously laugh. ‘Well, do you think you’re, uh..gay?’ Kara asked, making Alex furrow her brow in deep thought. She let out a shaky breath and whispered ‘yes’, feeling herself on the verge of tears again. Kara rubbed her shoulders and kissed her sister's temple.

‘One step at a time. I’m so proud of you, Alex.’ she said sincerely. The girls sat and talked about it some more, deciding to tell Eliza at a later date as Alex wasn’t quite ready for that sort of announcement yet.

Alex had felt a lot better after talking to Kara and spent the rest of the day relaxing at home with her family. Not wanting to see friends, she'd decided to stay home rather than going to the Shack and Kara stayed with her for support. The Danvers sisters were inseparable that day, spending their time together and feeling closer than they ever had. Alex felt so lucky to have Kara as a sister, someone who always seemed to know what to say and someone who always cared about other people no matter who they were or what they’d done. They did some crafts, cycled up to the park for an ice cream, and watched movies together, feeling relaxed and content in each other’s company. Alex had retreated back to her room to finish her book when she felt her phone vibrating in her pocket and opened up a new message.

 **From: Maggie S. -** _You didn’t turn up at the Shack today. How bad is the hangover?_

Alex felt her heart swoosh as she read the text. Now she was aware of her feelings, she couldn’t help but be alarmed at her own reaction to a simple text. She was never like this with any of the boys she’d been with. Deciding not to lie, Alex texted her reply.

 **To: Maggie S. -** _Hardy har. Didn’t feel like coming today. Not been feeling good._

She received a reply moments later. 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Are you alright? Do you want me to come over with some ice cream?_

Still feeling exhausted from lack of sleep and hours of crying, Alex thought it was best not to see Maggie today and texted her reply. 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _Kara’s taking care of me, don’t worry. Thanks for the offer though. :)_

Alex thought that would satisfy Maggie enough not to reply, but she was surprised to receive another text in a couple of minutes.

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Hmm, alright. Want to hang out tomorrow?_

Alex had felt torn - she did want to see Maggie, because you know, _it was Maggie_. But the other part of her wanted to keep some space between them, afraid that Alex would confess to her feelings or say something stupid. But looking in retrospect at the talk she’d had with Kara, Alex felt a lot more comfortable in her own skin and felt confident enough to see Maggie the next day.

 **To: Maggie S. -** _Yes please. I could do with a chat._

 **From: Maggie S. -** _I’ll pick you up tomorrow at 2. Hang in there. :)_

 

Alex felt happier now she’d given herself structure for the following day. She relaxed onto her bed and listened to some music, happily humming to the tunes and singing the words she knew. As one of Alex’s favourites came on ( _Radio - Lana Del Rey_ ), she’d pictured herself and Maggie, laughing and running on the sand to the song as if they were in a music video. Holding hands and dancing on the shore, the light of dusk illuminating their faces with an iridescent glow, the girls laughed and danced away in Alex’s imagination.

She was okay with liking Maggie. She felt slightly excited for herself as she recalled the feelings Maggie had made her feel. _I didn’t know that’s what it feels like_ , Alex said to herself in her mind, feeling a lot more at peace with herself as she imagined the feeling of being in love with someone. She was only beginning to discover herself, and Alex smiled happily as she realised that she wasn’t ‘broken’ after all, she’d just been looking for the wrong thing all along.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter today. Alex coming to terms with her feelings and beginning the process of coming out. ! hope you enjoy. 
> 
> \- luna xo


	10. Chapter 10 - Under the Stars

Alex woke up the next day feeling like a new person. She was feeling so much happier and lighter than the day before, giving her a slight spring in her step as she sat down for breakfast with her family.

‘So what are your plans for today, girls?’ Eliza asked, handing the plate of blueberries to Kara.

‘Well I’m seeing Maggie at two.’ Alex replied, making Kara’s eyes widen slightly and she had a conflicted expression on her face, but didn’t say anything to object.

‘I’m hanging out with Lena and Lucy today.’ Kara added, and proceeded to talk to Eliza about a documentary she’d seen that she thought her mother would enjoy.

 

After the breakfast, Kara caught up with Alex who was heading to her hammock.

‘You’re seeing Maggie? Today?’ Kara asked in a slightly concerned tone of voice.

‘Yeah, I am.’

‘Do you think you’re ready for that?’ Kara asked.

‘I’ve thought it through. I was feeling crappy yesterday because it was hard to realise something big like that. But I’m a lot more at peace with it than I was yester-’

‘-Yes okay, but do you think seeing Maggie is the best idea for you right now after yo-’

‘-I’ve thought about that too. What is the worst that can happen? It’s not like I’m going to ask her to marry me, is it? If anything, I want to tell her about what I’ve been feeling because she’ll understand.’ Alex said to Kara. Kara looked slightly confused.

‘You think she will?’ Kara said hopefully. She didn’t know Maggie like Alex did after all, and trusted her sister’s judgment about her.

‘Yes. I won’t tell her I like her like _that_ yet, but she’s been through the same process as me so it would be a good idea to ask for advice.’

‘...’

‘She’s gay, Kara.’

‘Oh! Oh, she’s- okay I didn’t know that. Makes sense if you think about it, actually. Well okay, then talk to her about it, just- be careful, I don’t want you getting upset again.’ Kara said sincerely, pulling Alex into a quick hug and retreating to her bedroom.

 

After Kara left to see Lena and Lucy, Alex spent some time with Eliza doing some painting. Sat outside on the deck overlooking the lake, they painted happily in silence. Eliza was working on painting a picture she’d taken of the port in Menemsha, whilst Alex was recreating the view from the lighthouse she’d seen with Maggie. She painted the brunette too, looking over the railing of the lighthouse and gazing at the beautiful view.

‘Who’s that you’re painting, honey?’ Eliza broke the silence.

‘Maggie.’ Alex said truthfully.

‘I haven’t really met Maggie yet. What is she like?’ Eliza asked nonchalantly. Alex casually discussed what Maggie was like, how funny she was and how understanding and honest she was, and Eliza happily asked questions about the girl.

‘Is she coming over today?’

‘Yeah she’s coming to pick me up at 2.’

‘Do you think she’d like to stay the night tonight?’ Eliza asked. ‘I’d love to get to know your new friend.’

‘I’ll ask her.’ Alex replied. She imagined herself with Maggie, Kara and Eliza, watching movies on the couch together in harmony and getting along. She wanted Maggie to like her family and saw it as a good opportunity for her and Maggie to talk about Alex’s situation.

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _My mom wants to meet you. Do you want to stay over at mine tonight?_

 

Alex had just put down her phone before a reply came through.

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Yes please, my siblings are getting on my nerves today. You’re a lifesaver. I’ll bring some stuff when I come over. See you soon._

 

Alex felt excited for the day ahead. She eagerly finished her painting and went out for a run, feeling the need to work off some of the excitement. She was going to spend a whole day with Maggie. _Maybe you’re moving too fast_ , Alex thought to herself. Only two days ago she’d realised her feelings for Maggie, a girl, which had sent her into an emotional rollercoaster the day after. But she could still enjoy being in Maggie’s company. If anything, being with the girl would probably make her feel more sure of her feelings. _Maybe it’s just a phase_ , she thought. _I don’t know. I’ll talk to Maggie about it_.

 

As 2 o’clock arrived, Alex heard a knock at her door and saw Maggie, in a plaid green shirt and jeans, carrying an overnight bag with her.

‘You kept your word.’ Alex greeted, making Maggie look slightly confused. ‘You’re wearing more plaid.’ she clarified, making Maggie laugh in response as she stepped into Alex’s house.

‘Very observant.’ Maggie replied humorously. ‘So _this_ is the Danvers holiday household.’ she continued, walking around and taking in her surroundings. ‘Is your mom home?’

‘She’s gone out shopping, should be back in 20.’ Alex replied, taking Maggie on a tour of the house. It was quite 70s looking; made primarily of wood and stone, the house was spacious and was littered with mismatching furniture. Alex liked the quirkiness of it, and the cosy feeling it had whenever it was dark, and hoped Maggie liked the place. She brought her to the deck and showed her the hammocks, and explained how she travelled to the beach across the lake.

‘That is so cool. You live in the best place ever.’ Maggie said, amazed. ‘This is beautiful.’

Alex smiled and guided Maggie to her bedroom; a spacious room equipped with a double bed, a small chest of drawers, some bean bags and a small desk for writing. Maggie unpacked her belongings; she had brought the essentials, and some comfort food.

‘What’s with all the food?’ Alex asked curiously.

‘Well you said you weren’t feeling great & food always makes _me_ feel better so I assumed and brought some just in case.’ she replied calmly. Alex felt her heart swell and smiled in return.

‘Kara is going to love you.’ was all Alex replied, thinking about how overjoyed Kara would be to see so much food. ‘Thanks, by the way.’ she added.

‘What for?’

‘Well, you, uh, brought this to cheer me up and, well..thank you for caring, I guess.’ Alex said with a chuckle.

 

Alex saw a kind smile appear on the girl’s face as she stepped closer to her. Alex lost her breath for a second and waited for Maggie to talk.

‘You know what. How about you teach me how to canoe and we can go for a walk on the beach?’ she offered. Alex agreed and showed Maggie the basics, both of them hopping in their respective canoes and beginning their journey across the lake. It was a sunny day, and Maggie and Alex happily enjoyed the crossing, side by side and taking in the view around them.

‘This is so amazing.’ Maggie said in awe as she gazed out at the lake which seemed to be glowing from the sunlight reflecting on the surface.

‘It’s a pretty sight, that’s for sure.’ Alex replied, her eyes resting on the brunette besides her and not the view she was looking at.

They arrived and parked their canoes, beginning to walk the shoreline and discussing the plan for the evening.

‘Well I was hoping we could keep things relaxed,’ Maggie begun, ‘Just do some artsy stuff or cycle somewhere together...We could watch some movies or whatever you’d like really.’ she offered.

‘Relaxed is perfect for me right now.’ Alex replied with a smile.

‘Yeah, me too.’

‘Are you okay?’ Alex asked Maggie. She’d looked slightly upset about something and Alex decided to see if she was ready to talk.

‘Can I ask you something?’ Maggie asked. Alex nodded. ‘Do you like me?’

 

Alex felt her face heat up as she was lost for words. ‘What do you mean?’ she managed to reply. Was it really that obvious?

‘I mean, do you think I’m a nice person to hang out with?’ Maggie clarified, making Alex’s insides relax immediately. _Phew_ , she thought.

‘Yes, I love spending time with you.’ Alex replied honestly. ‘Why do you ask?’

Maggie looked at the ground, sighed, picked her head up and began to speak.

‘It’s just- recently, I’ve had so many friends decide they don’t want to be friends with me anymore. They just don’t talk to me, and when I ask why they say they’ve moved on from the friendship, or point out the flaws I have that made them leave and I just- I’m _so_ upset about it. I haven’t said anything because in all honesty, I’m scared that what they say is true. I know this sounds totally stupid-’

‘It does _not_ sound stupid, Maggie. Don’t say that.’ Alex interjected.

‘Sorry. Thank you.’ Maggie replied and continued. ‘I just feel like I’m losing so many people and it’s all because of me.’ she finished, tears forming in her eyes. Alex took some time to process what she’d heard and finally spoke up.

‘Maggie, I’m going to be completely honest with you.’ Alex begun, making Maggie look up from the ground directly at her with a scared look in her eye. Alex smiled at the brunette and continued. ‘In the time that I’ve known you, you have been nothing but kind, supportive, funny and caring to me, and I mean that. I haven’t got a friend like you, and you’re the best thing that’s happened to me for years. Don’t laugh because I’m being serious.’ Alex said as Maggie let out a sarcastic chuckle. ‘You can ask my mom and Kara and they’ll back me up when I say that you’re one of the best friends I’ve got and if truth be told, I don’t really want to imagine my life without you in-’ Alex was interrupted by Maggie who had flung herself at Alex, enveloping her in a tight hug. They hugged for a few seconds, then smiled at each other sincerely.

‘What was that for?’ Alex asked, slightly shocked.

‘Everything you said, that’s _exactly_ how I feel about you too. I love being with you and I’m so glad I met you.’ Maggie blurted out with a kind smile, making Alex’s insides go crazy. _Keep it cool_ , she told herself.

‘You going soft on me, Sawyer?’ Alex replied sarcastically, earning a punch on the arm from the shorter girl. She had decided to tell Maggie about her self discovery later on in the day, giving Maggie the attention she needed and spending time listening to her. The girls talked for an hour about it, Maggie listening attentively at Alex’s well thought out responses and pieces of advice. Alex loved the maturity of the relationship she had with Maggie. They didn’t talk about superficial stuff, they talked about _real_ things and that, to Alex, is what made her connection with the brunette so strong.

 

They canoed back to the house, by which point Eliza had gotten back from the shops and greeted Maggie warmly.

‘Maggie! I am _so_ pleased to finally get to know you. Alex doesn’t stop talking about how great you are.’ Eliza said kindly, pulling Maggie into a hug. Alex nodded an ‘I told you so’ look, making Maggie smile in response.

Kara had texted saying she was staying the night at Lena’s ( _They’re so going to do it_ , Maggie laughed, making Alex contort her face in disgust), so Eliza and the girls spent the rest of the afternoon playing board games and doing some crafts. Alex loved seeing how well Maggie and her mom got along; they understood each other’s humour and Maggie never passed up an opportunity to flatter Alex’s mother. Eliza had pulled Alex aside once Maggie had her back turned and whispered ‘She’s my favourite friend of yours. Can we keep her?’ making Alex’s heart swell.

 

Eliza had been invited out for a last minute dinner with James’ parents, leaving Maggie and Alex alone for a few hours that night. They sat on the couch, watching some movies they’d found in the old broom cupboard ( _Airplane_  &  _Young Frankenstein_ ), and as it got dark, Alex had pulled Maggie out to the deck to stargaze with her telescope.

 

The girls were sitting in the hammock, music playing softly in the background from inside the house, whilst they lay there in silence, gazing up at the starry night and feeling immersed in that moment. Alex saw this as a perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation.

‘Can I ask you something?’ Alex broke the silence.

‘Of course.’ Maggie replied.

‘How did you find out you liked girls?’ she asked, feeling Maggie’s posture slightly tense at the question, only for it to relax again seconds later.

‘Well, I had a crush on this popular girl at school. Had no idea at first, but I just loved looking at her, y’know? I could’ve stared at her for ages and not get bored. Anyway, I guess I kind of realised one day and went with it. Been like that ever since.’ she replied casually. ‘Why do you ask?’

Alex took a deep breath and let out a sigh. _This is it,_ she thought to herself. ‘I think I’m gay.’ she replied.

There was a pause. Maggie was processing what Alex had said, and spoke after a few seconds.

‘Okay. Do you want to wear my plaid?’ she replied, making Alex burst into laughter. After joking around, Alex had told her about her previous relationships (or should she say, failures) with boys and how she’d developed crushes on girls before but wasn’t always aware of it.

Maggie listened, and discussed her feelings with her. Alex made sure not to hint about any romantic feelings towards the girl, afraid of upsetting her or scaring her away - she’d just made this incredible friend and didn’t want to lose her. They spent a while talking, mulling over Alex’s past and her current feelings. They changed topics after a while, discussing other things in life the girls pondered about, and Alex had felt a sudden surge of emotion. She let a tear stroll down her face and wiped it away immediately, but was too late to go unnoticed by Maggie, who was now staring at her with a concerned expression on her face.

‘Are you alright?’ was all she asked. Alex smiled as she let another tear roll down her cheek. She laughed and wiped it away.

‘Yes. This is a happy cry.’ she replied. ‘I’m really happy right now.’

‘What’s brought this on?’ Maggie replied slightly humorously, turning over on her side so she was now facing Alex, who was lying on her back.

‘I feel like I’ve been waiting for something for so long, something I couldn’t put my finger on. But this is it. It’s the most _amazing_ feeling.’ Alex sighed happily. She saw Maggie smile in the corner of her eye, and before she knew it, Maggie had planted a tender kiss on her temple. Alex felt her heart soar, and desperately tried to conceal her feelings. She let out a shaky breath and spoke. ‘What was that for?’ she said rolling over on her side, now facing Maggie.

  
Maggie gazed into her eyes and managed a small smile. ‘Don’t know. Just felt like it.’ she replied earnestly. Alex was staring back at her and felt overcome with emotion. She’d wanted to kiss Maggie more than anything in that moment, but decided the moment was better left untarnished and rolled onto her back. The girls stayed there, close to the touch, and fell asleep under the stars with the music still lingering in the background. Maggie had moved closer to Alex, resting her forehead on Alex’s arm, and draping her right arm over Alex’s waist, and the girls slept through the night, happier than they’d ever been.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> love is in the air~ 
> 
> So, here we have the blossoming of romantic Sanvers. Alex knows Maggie is into girls and vice versa. They both love each other a lot (as friends) and here we have the beginning of something potential. 
> 
> Now, I want to ask, as I value people's preferences and opinions, how would you prefer this story to play out? It can go either way; angsty or fluffy. Sanvers are going to be endgame either or, but I was wondering what you guys would prefer. 
> 
> Angst would be similar to the canon plot - maggie not being ready for alex because she's new to this/maggie feels flawed.  
> Fluff would be them utterly in love with eachother from day one, they kiss and they do loads of cute things together. you'd get cute parts in the angst option too but less than the fluff version. 
> 
> Leave a review or drop me line on tumblr (karadorkable) about your opinion. I'll be writing what I think would work best and I'm open to any suggestions n.n 
> 
> lots of love and hope you enjoy this chapter! <3 
> 
> \- Luna


	11. Chapter 11 - The Morning After

It was morning. The wind had woken Alex up, feeling slightly frightened and cold as she took a few seconds to remember where she’d fallen asleep. She looked down to find a blanket placed on top of the hammock. _Thanks mom_ , she said internally, pulling it up towards her for extra warmth. Alex felt a weight on her stomach and glanced to her right - Maggie was sleeping peacefully, her arm draped around Alex’s waist and her head was resting lightly on her shoulder. Alex felt her whole body warm up as she realised Maggie was cuddling her. She gazed at Maggie whilst she slept, her breathing slow, her eyelids fluttering slightly at times, and Alex couldn’t help but want to freeze time and stay in that moment forever. Maggie looked so peaceful, a look which accentuated her beauty, whilst her hair cascaded around her face in a messy, yet beautiful way. Alex couldn’t stop staring and knew she’d fallen badly for the girl - she caught herself smiling way too often.

 

Maggie stirred and Alex panicked; she didn’t want her to find out she’d been staring, so shut her eyes immediately as protection. Alex kept her eyes closed, trying desperately to calm her breathing to a slower rate, and pretended to be asleep as she felt Maggie move around beside her. There was a pause, where no one moved, and Alex had thought that Maggie was still asleep. She was about to open her eyes before she felt Maggie move her arm from her waist and moved it to her face; she was lightly stroking Alex’s cheek with her thumb. It only lasted a few seconds but Alex couldn’t help but feel hot under Maggie’s touch. She felt the girl move her hand to her hair, innocently twirling a strand of it in her finger, before releasing it and moving her hand away. Alex felt so nervous and decided to pretend to wake up; she stirred slightly, moved onto her side and fluttered her eyes open - Maggie was staring back at her with a smile.

 

‘Morning.’ she said in a whisper. Alex smiled brightly in response and muttered a ‘good morning’ back. The girls gradually got up, stretching their slightly aching limbs (hammocks aren’t the comfiest when shared) and retreated to Alex’s bedroom for warmth. They sat in Alex’s warm bed, eating the leftovers Maggie had brought, and sat together watching random videos which made them both snort with laughter. Eliza had woken up shortly after, passing by Alex’s bedroom and hearing the sounds of laughter erupting from it.

 

‘Good morning, girls.’ she replied, making Alex and Maggie slightly jump and distance themselves from each other - as if Eliza was walking in on something. ‘Do you guys want breakfast?’

The girls pointed at the remnants of the food they’d just eaten and smirked. ‘We’re good.’ Alex said happily. They stayed in bed for an hour, just laughing and joking around, occasionally brushing fingers or arms and going cold at the touch, as if they received an electric shock once they touched.

 

The tension that Alex had felt between her and Maggie grew stronger - as if they were both nervous of being around each other - slightly skittish and jumpy at every voice they heard or every time they looked at each other. They still got along, of course, and still talked like nothing had changed, but Alex could feel it and so could Maggie - they just didn’t know what to do about it.

Maggie left halfway through the day to go and take care of her siblings. Alex had felt lonely after she’d gone - she loved being with Maggie for so long and felt slightly lost without her by her side. Kara returned shortly after Maggie had left, giving the sisters the perfect opportunity to talk about their respective nights.

 

‘What did you get up to with Lena and Lucy?’ Alex asked excitedly.

‘It was nice, we all went to an art exhibition they were doing in the town hall.’ Kara replied. ‘Then Lucy left and Lena and I went for dinner together.’

‘You did?’ 

‘Yeah, it was amazing. Candle lit & everything. I really really like her.’ Kara smiled, and Alex smiled in return - nothing made her happier than seeing her sister as happy as she was. Kara continued telling her story of her night with Lena, how they watched movies and went for a sunset walk in the park. Alex had interjected with a comment on how her night with Maggie was somewhat similar, making Kara’s eyes bulge with surprise.

‘Maggie slept over?!’ she exclaimed with a look of excitement on her face. Alex nodded sheepishly and told her about her night with the girl, and described the new found tension that had established itself between them. Kara listened and smiled whenever Alex made a comment about how pretty Maggie had looked, or how funny a joke Maggie had told was.

‘Do you think she might like you back?’ Kara suggested, as Alex had pondered the reasoning behind the new atmosphere between her and Maggie. Alex let out a sarcastic ‘pfft’ in response.

‘No. Definitely not.’ Alex replied immediately. She didn’t want to be hopeful about anything - Alex had always been a slight pessimist with things, her reasoning being that it meant that she was usually right or pleasantly surprised about anything she was pessimistic about. But the thought of Maggie liking her back made her heart leap. She wanted it to be true, so badly, but she knew she would rather keep her crush quiet rather than have her heart be broken by someone she cherished so much. Alex let out a sigh. _If Maggie liked me, maybe she would let me know,_ she thought to herself hopefully.

 

The Danvers sisters were happily canoeing to the beach as they both received a text - James’ parents were allowing him to use their boat for a party in two days time - making them cheer in excitement.

‘I love the boat parties, they’re always the best.’ Kara said excitedly.

‘I know right. And hey, this year you and Lena can be the ones kissing in the hidden cabin department, like James and Lucy were doing last year.’ Alex remarked humorously, making Kara go red with embarrassment.

‘Or it could be you and Maggie.’ Kara teased in response.

‘Shut up.’ Alex replied playfully with a smile, but felt her heart skip a beat at the thought of kissing Maggie again. _Jesus Alex, pull yourself together_ , Alex said to herself as she’d noticed her own reaction to the thought. She’d gone from an emotionless robot to love sick puppy in such a short amount of time that even she was finding it hard to control her own feelings.

 

Alex was sitting on the beach as Kara went swimming - she was too cold to join her - and stayed on the shore watching, and felt her pocket vibrate.

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _I know I said it before I left (manners, duh), but thank you again for last night. I had a great time. :)_

 

Alex smiled to herself - Maggie enjoyed being with her too, maybe it was a sign? _No, don’t be stupid, Alex_ , she thought as she texted her response.

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _So did I. And thank you for listening to me about the whole...gay thing. Lol. Talking to you has made it a lot easier for me._

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Not a problem. You going to James’ boat party?_

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _Uh, duh. It’s the best parties he’s thrown. You’re coming too, right?_

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Can’t pass up the opportunity to party on a fancy boat, so yes, definitely._

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _Cool! See you then. :)_

 

Alex had put down her phone in the sand and was about to dip her toes in the water, but she received another text and felt her heart leap again.

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Can’t wait._

 

Alex felt her stomach lurch. _That’s the kind of shit I would say_ , Alex swore to herself as she felt her heart beating a little faster in her chest. She tried to calm her racing thoughts about Maggie’s text, but couldn’t help but smile and feel the tiniest glint of hope when imagining herself with the brunette.

Alex shook off her feelings as she decided to go for a swim with Kara after all - they swam contently for a while, playing games in the sea and having a nice time. They got home, slightly exhausted and cold, and spent the evening watching Homeland with Eliza.

‘Mom, Lena has just texted. Can she come over tomorrow?’ Kara asked as she glanced up from her phone to her mom.

‘Of course she can, sweetie.’ Eliza replied kindly.

Alex and Lena really got along - both of them quite the sarcastic type, they enjoyed taunting Kara and making her laugh. The three of them hadn’t hung out in a while and Alex felt pleased to be able to spend time together. However, now that Kara and Lena were a couple, Alex wondered to herself whether her presence would be wanted - maybe Kara had hoped to spend some time with Lena alone. She decided not to let it phase her, and continued watching the show with her family.

 

That night, Alex’s thoughts found themselves to drift back to Maggie more than ever. Everything Alex thought of, she had found a way to relate it to the brunette. Every song she listened to, every thought she had, every memory she recalled - Maggie was always there, lingering in the back of Alex’s mind and making her feel embraced in a warm feeling. It was like Maggie had become a place of comfort for Alex, a home if you will, and a fragment of Alex’s imagination that she couldn’t seem to get rid of no matter how hard she tried.

_Oh, you’ve got it so bad, Alex. You’ve got it so so bad._

Alex laughed at her own behaviour and tucked herself into bed, finding it hard to relax without the feeling of a certain person lying beside her, and drifted off into a pleasant sleep with one girl on her mind throughout the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, sorry. 
> 
> James' boat party coming up soon.... stay tuned. ;) 
> 
> BTW - totally gonna choose the fluff route. I'm glad you guys all (mostly) agree. xx
> 
> lots of love,  
> luna xo


	12. Chapter 12 - Movie on the Beach

Lena had arrived before Alex had woken up - she could tell, as she was woken up to the sound of laughter and giggling coming from the living room. Alex stayed in bed for a few minutes, and finally dragged herself out of bed and got dressed. _Alright, just ask whether they’d like to spend time alone_ , Alex thought to herself before opening her bedroom door. Kara and Lena were sat on the couch talking happily, and they both looked up at Alex and welcomed her kindly.

 

‘Hey Alex!’ Lena exclaimed, getting up from the couch and giving Alex a warm hug. Alex laughed and sat down in the chair opposite them.

 

‘Hey. When did you get here?’

 

‘About 20 minutes ago. Sorry if we woke you up.’ Lena said with a small laugh.

 

‘You didn’t. What are you guys up to today?’ Alex continued, hoping that they’d mention whether Alex was invited or not.

 

‘Well we were waiting for you to wake up before we planned anything.’ Kara replied. Alex smiled and felt happier - she was looking forward to spending a day with Lena and Kara and was excited they wanted her to tag along.

 

‘I’m down for anything.’ Alex replied happily, and proceeded to plan her day with the girls.

 

They’d decided to go and see a puppet show that was being held by the kids on the island. They needed some help from adults and the girls decided to tag along and help if anyone needed it. The show was far from professional - kids talking and laughing all throughout, but the girls really enjoyed it. Seeing the effort put into the show and the generous amount of people who’d come along to support the show made the girls happy, and they enjoyed spending some time playing party games with the kids and talking to the parents.

 

After they’d returned home, they set out to the Crab Shack to meet with the rest of the group for a few hours. Alex immediately spotted Maggie, who was wearing a brown checkered shirt and jeans, and felt her heart leap when she saw Maggie smile at her with light in her eyes.

 

‘Hey you.’ she said, enveloping Alex in a quick hug. Alex couldn’t breathe. She let out a shaky breath. ‘Hi.’ she replied with a smile.

 

‘How was your day with those two?’ Maggie asked as she pointed to Kara and Lena who were happily chatting to Winn. Alex described her day, how lovely the kids were and how she enjoyed taking care of them - she noticed herself rambling slightly, getting carried away with details and small kids who’d made her day.

‘Sorry, I’m rambling.’ she laughed. Maggie tilted her head and smiled.

‘No, it was cute. You looked happy talking about it and it was adorable.’ she replied.

‘Yeah right.’ Alex replied snarkily. She probably looked like a rambling mess. ‘You excited for the boat party tomorrow?’

‘Uh, _yes_. It sounds so fun.’ Maggie replied, and then continued in a slightly hushed voice ‘Is it like, a fancy party? Do we have to dress up or anything?’

‘Oh god, are you kidding? Last year Winn vomited overboard, Lena lost her shoe in the sea and I’m pretty sure there’s still a dent in the bathroom door from when Kara fell over.’ Alex laughed, making Maggie’s eyes widen and let out a giggle.

‘Sounds like my kind of party.’ she replied in approval. ‘What are you doing tonight?’ Maggie asked.

‘What?’

‘What are you doing tonight?’ Maggie repeated. Alex felt her insides squirm - _why does she want to know?!_

‘Nothing. Why?’ she replied casually, trying to appear unphased.

‘Well, there’s this company in Menemsha which are projecting some movies on the beach tonight if you’re up for it.’ Maggie offered kindly.

‘I’d love that, Maggie.’ Alex replied happily, but they were overheard by Lucy who exclaimed;

‘That sounds awesome Maggie! Guys, they’re projecting movies on the beach tonight.’ And sure enough, everyone had agreed to come - leaving Alex and Maggie secretly slightly annoyed.

 

Retreating back to their houses briefly to pick up some supplies, the gang reunited at the beach fifteen minutes before the first film was scheduled to start. They found a good spot on the beach, laying out blankets, towels and deck chairs. It was a cosy atmosphere. A ton of food had been brought too - there was a cooler full of beers and lemonades, enough party food to sink a battleship, and some nice snacks for people to eat throughout the movie. The sun had begun to set, giving the sea view the most beautiful sunset they’d seen - a dark pink and orange sky reflected upon the darkly coloured sea, making it the perfect sight for Alex to snap a picture of with her new camera. They all settled down together; Kara and Lena to the right, cuddling up in a deck chair, Maggie and Alex sitting crossed legged on a towel, the many coolers and hampers separated the girls from Mike, Winn, Lucy and James who were happily leaning against each other for support. The movie began to play - it was Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The crowd cheered as they realised what film it was.

 

Happily watching the movie, the group occasionally exchanged comments here and there. Alex couldn’t seem to concentrate on the movie that well - her crossed leg was barely touching Maggie’s and it took over all of Alex’s senses. She moved away, finally feeling the ability to hear and see properly, and turned her attention to the movie.

‘You’d totally be a Slytherin.’ she heard Maggie whisper in her ear humorously. _God, I can practically hear the smirk on her face_ , Alex thought to herself as she felt Maggie’s hot breath on her ear.

‘Oh, I’m evil, am I?’ Alex replied with a scoff.

‘If you really knew Harry Potter you’d know that not all Slytherins are evil. I just think it’s fitting for you.’ Maggie replied casually.

‘You’re such a dork, Sawyer.’ she replied. ‘What house are you in then?’

‘I don’t know. Probably Gryffindor.’ Maggie stated. ‘Or Ravenclaw.’ she added.

‘I could see that.’ Alex replied with a smile.

Relaxing back so she was leaning against a deck chair, Alex pulled up a towel over her legs to keep warm - there was a cold chill in the wind that night and most of her friends had covered themselves to protect themselves. She glanced over at Maggie who was rubbing her bare thighs, trying to heat them up again.

‘You cold?’ she whispered to Maggie, who turned to look at her and nodded. ‘I didn’t think to dress warmly.’ she replied.

‘Come here, you can share my towel.’ Alex offered, moving to the side and pulling a corner of the towel up so Maggie could crawl in besides her. She had been nervous to offer, afraid that Maggie would refuse the closeness with Alex, but she happily obliged, scooching up next to Alex and draping the towel over her legs.

They were side by side now, arms and legs touching more than they were before, and Alex felt her body heat up at the sudden contact with the girl. She shivered, making Maggie gaze at her with worry.

‘You’re shivering!’ she exclaimed, wrapping her arm around Alex’s shoulder and pulling her into a cuddle.

Alex’s head now resting on Maggie’s collar bone, with Maggie’s arm rubbing the side of Alex’s arm, Alex had never felt more alive - it was as if her senses had been overloaded with information; she couldn’t process anything. She was watching the movie, but she couldn’t pay attention to it (as much as she tried). All she could think about was the closeness she had with the girl and felt her heart beating so loudly that she couldn’t hear anything but it’s beating rhythm. She was aware of every breath Maggie made and every move she made, Alex’s nerves were so on end that she felt as if her brain was going to stop working. Gradually, over time, Alex relaxed into the embrace, draping her arm over Maggie’s stomach and enjoying how good it felt to lie like this with her. Maggie’s free arm moved to Alex’s hand, and grabbed her hand in her own, intertwining their fingers and resting them on Maggie’s stomach. Alex audibly gasped - she wasn’t prepared and felt so happy with the show of affection. Maggie flinched and pulled her hand away in response.

 

‘I’m sorry.’ Maggie blurted nervously. ‘Was that not okay?’

 

‘No no, it was. It took me by surprise, that’s all.’ Alex replied, feeling like she was about to pass out at the change of atmosphere between her and Maggie. ‘I promise.’ Alex added and took a deep breath. She grabbed Maggie’s hand and linked them again. _Ballsy move, Alex._ _Don’t give it away._

They resumed watching the movie, happily in each other’s embrace, and Alex never wanted the movie to end. When it did, Alex heard her friends move from their spots and immediately jumped to her feet, not wanting to be caught cuddling with Maggie in case of arousing suspicion. Lucy had remarked this, and called out to Alex as the group was beginning to pack up.

‘Alex, can I speak to you for a sec? Like, alone?’ was all she said, making Alex’s heart drop and her palms began to sweat nervously.

‘S-sure, let me just- um, fold my towel.’ Alex stumbled and rolled her towel up and stuffed it in her backpack. She strolled over to Lucy and walked away from the group.

‘You totally do have a crush on Maggie, don’t you?’ Lucy said. Alex felt like she was going to throw up.

‘Wh- what are you talking about, of course I don’t-’

‘Come on, man. I’m not dumb, just trust me.’ Lucy replied sincerely. Alex took a deep breath and spoke.

‘Look, it’s nothing really I just- I just _really_ don’t want her to find out about it. Please don’t tell anyone, I can’t afford people finding out that I’m gay and that I like her-’

‘Woah wait. You’re gay too?’ Lucy interjected with a surprised look on her face.

Alex huffed at her carelessness. _No point in denying it now._

‘Yeah.’ she replied. There was a pause, Lucy taking her time to register what Alex had said, and spoke.

‘I’m referring to you and Kara as the sapphic sisters now.’

‘ _Lucy_!’ Alex exclaimed through laughter. Lucy was laughing at Alex’s reaction, slapping her arm playfully.

‘I’m _kidding_. It’s cool, I won’t say anything unless you want me to. But totally go there with Maggie, it’s obvious she likes you back.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous.’ Alex retorted sarcastically.

‘I’m not being ridiculous. Seriously, have you seen the way she looks at you? Pretty sure those dimples are reserved for you and you only. Trust me when I say she's a completely different person once you're around.’ Lucy said casually. ‘Go for it.’ she added with a pat on Alex's back and walked away.

 

Alex stood there for a few seconds, thinking about what Lucy had said, and pushed it to the back of her mind. _I can’t tell her_ , she thought. _It would ruin everything._

 

People packed up and went home, Alex glancing at Maggie at every chance she got, only to find the brunette already staring back at her. They smiled, and gazed into each other’s eyes when this happened, trying to decipher any thoughts they could see behind the other girl’s eyes. There were so many things left unsaid, and Alex felt as if there was a new feeling establishing itself between the two of them - and Alex didn’t say anything about it, and neither did Maggie.

Alex went home, trying to figure out what to think and what to do, only to decide that it was a hopeless situation. She and Maggie had this amazing connection, and didn’t want to risk it by putting her feelings out in the open. Alex sighed to herself as she curled up in bed, desperately trying to wipe the thought of the brunette from her mind, only to find it drifting back to her even more; her brown eyes staring at Alex lovingly through her imagination. Alex knew it was going to be impossible for her not to fall for Maggie even more than she already had.   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey you guys. Couldn't update yesterday because of some health problems I've been having. I have another appointment tomorrow so I don't know whether I'll have the time to write depending on if they keep me in longer than anticipated, but here's a new chapter today!
> 
> Hope you enjoy, it's cute and picturesque. The next chapters an important one, the boat party. :) 
> 
> lots of love  
> -luna xo


	13. Chapter 13 - The Boat Party

It was the day of the party. Alex woke up early, went on a run, had a nice relaxing shower outside, and spent time with her family before it was time to get ready. It was a nice calm day so far, Alex had felt her mind at peace with itself as she went from activity to activity, laughing and joking with her family that she adored so much. She was painting with Eliza on the deck whilst Kara was out having ice cream with Lena, perfecting the artwork she’d painted of Maggie and the view from the lighthouse, and sighed in contentment at how it had turned out.

‘That looks beautiful, sweetie.’ Eliza commented kindly as Alex set the canvas out to dry.

‘Thanks mom.’ Alex replied, and sat down on her hammock which began to swing gently. Alex felt her mind drift to Maggie and felt herself get nervous - she wanted to talk to Eliza about it and felt like it was a good moment to bring it up.

 

‘Mom, I need to talk to you.’ Alex said in a slight rush, feeling herself shaking at her own words.

‘About what?’ Eliza replied, setting down her paintbrush and turning her chair to face Alex. She had a kind look on her face, a look which reassured Alex things were going to be okay, and plucked up the courage to speak.

‘It’s uh- it’s about me.’ she stated and took a deep breath. She couldn’t bring herself to look at Eliza, fixated on an imperfection in a wooden floorboard, and closed her eyes before she spoke.

‘I think I’m gay.’

There was a pause. She was still gazing at the ground, unable to face looking at her mother in the eye in case of disappointment, and waited for Eliza to speak.

‘Okay.’ was all Eliza had to reply.

‘Okay?’ Alex repeated, having the courage to look at her mother who appeared to be unphased.

‘Yes, okay.’ she repeated. Alex felt herself get upset, afraid that Eliza didn’t approve, and felt hot tears prickle her eyes. Eliza had noticed this and her expression turned; she now looked concerned and upset.

‘Honey, why are you crying?’ she asked, wrapping Alex in an affectionate hug.

‘It just seems like you’re not okay with it.’ Alex sobbed, burying her head in Eliza’s shoulder and not wanting to leave.

‘Why would you being gay make me upset, Alex? I’m more than okay with it. I just thought you wouldn’t want me to make a big deal out of it so I didn’t.’ Eliza justified herself and continued talking. ‘I’m sorry if it made it seem like I wasn’t okay with it, I love you no matter what, and you know that.’ she continued, stroking Alex’s head which was still shaking from crying. Alex lifted her head up and stared at Eliza with tears blurring her eyes.

‘Sorry. I’ve been over thinking a lot.’ Alex said with a small laugh which made Eliza smile back in sympathy.

 

Alex and Eliza spent an hour discussing everything. Alex explained how she’d felt for Maggie and how it differed from being with boys - she described everything she’d felt since she’d arrived and felt a weight lift off her shoulders once she had. She’d always had a very close bond with her mother, and felt like the secret Alex was keeping had created a small rift in their relationship. As they talked, Eliza had made sure to remind Alex of how proud she was of her, reassured her daughter that what she was feeling was real, and listened to anything Alex had to say. They felt closer after the chat, and decided to celebrate by joining Kara and Lena at the ice cream parlour.

 

‘Hey guys!’ Kara exclaimed excitedly as she spotted her family approaching the parlour. They exchange kind greetings, and sat down.

‘We’re here to celebrate Alex.’ Eliza said proudly. Kara glanced at her sister with love in her eyes and smiled brightly. ‘You told her?’ she mouthed, making Alex nod and Kara squeal in response. ‘I’m so proud of you!’

Alex explained the situation to Lena who was supportive, and the four of them happily chatted about other things, as Alex never liked attention being on her for a long period of time. 

Lena had come back with the Danvers family to get ready for the party together. It was nearing 6 o’clock, so the three girls took their time choosing each other’s outfits for the night ahead. Lena had decided on a dark purple bodycon dress, which made Kara a very happy lady. Kara was dressed in a long sunset orange dress and dark makeup which was a different look for her - Lena had helped her girlfriend with her makeup and by the time they were both ready, Alex was slightly blown away by how cool the couple looked.

Not wanting to wear a dress, Alex settled on wearing some black skinny jeans and heels, paired with a sleek white shirt and dark makeup. She felt dapper, and happy with having the choice not to wear a dress, set off with Lena and Kara with a spring in her step. She had brought her polaroid for good measure, hoping a good opportunity for a picture would arise and secretly imagined how beautiful Maggie was going to look in the pictures she’d take of her. _Don’t be creepy_ , Alex thought to herself as she neared the dock with Kara and Lena.

 

James’ boat never ceased to amaze her whenever she saw it - it was beautiful. Big enough for everyone to comfortably move around, and big enough for a family of 4 to live in, the boat was by far the coolest place Alex had ever partied - the dark shiny wood reflecting the shimmering of the water made it look unreal.

Alex hopped on and was greeted by James, who was happy to see her.

‘You guys arrived! Fashionably late, I must add.’ he flirted as he kissed the back of Lena and Kara’s hands. ‘Now that everyone is on board, we can move. Take a seat you guys.’ he smiled, and the girls sat down on the outside benches and waited for the boat to move.

It was habit for James to sail the boat to the private beach and park it near the shore in case people needed wanted to swim. The beach was calm at night, and beautiful under the moonlight, and was the perfect secluded spot for the group to let loose and have fun.

 

Once they’d arrived, the girls made their way downstairs to greet the others. Alex scanned the group immediately to find Maggie, and before she had the chance to ask where she was, she felt two hands clasp themselves over Alex’s eyes. She jumped on the spot, taken aback, and sighed.

‘Sawyer, if that’s you…’

‘You bet it is, Danvers.’ she heard Maggie reply, and turned around to face the girl. Maggie lifted her hands from Alex’s eyes, Alex saw her and smiled. Maggie was wearing a dark red skater dress, and her hair was down in curly rings.

‘You look be- you look lovely.’ Alex stuttered with a nervous smile. Maggie tilted her head and smiled back, but there was a slight confusion in her eyes.

‘You don’t look too bad yourself.’ she replied. ‘I’m liking the shirt.’

‘Thanks.’ Alex beamed, and proceeded to fetch some drinks for herself and Maggie. She was met at the bar by Lucy, who was serving herself, and she eyed Alex with a flirtatious glance and nodded her head towards Maggie.

‘Dressed up to woo Sawyer?’ she cooed.

‘Shut up.’ Alex snapped back with a smile.

‘Have you told her yet?’

‘No, and I don’t plan on saying anything.’ Alex replied casually.

‘But _why_? It’s clear she likes you back if you just-’

‘Lucy, I’m not telling her and that’s that. I’m not ready.’ she replied sternly, making Lucy sigh and nod in agreement.

‘Alright, suit yourself.’ Lucy stated, and went to go to talk to James.

 

‘Here, I brought you a drink.’ Alex greeted as she handed Maggie the red solo cup.

‘Thanks. What were you talking about with Lucy?’ Maggie asked with a look of curiosity on her face, taking a sip of her drink and waiting for Alex’s reply.

‘Nothing important.’ Alex responded. Maggie looked annoyed. ‘What did you get up to today?’ she asked, trying to change the subject, hoping that Maggie wasn’t going to ask any more questions.

‘Nothing much, went for a cycle and saw Lucy for coffee.’ she replied casually and Alex felt her stomach lurch. She was hanging out with Lucy, what if she had told Maggie about her feelings? Surely that meant that Maggie didn’t like her back, seeming as she hasn’t said anything about it. _Get a grip, Alex._

‘That’s nice.’ Alex replied, and decided to move over to speak to Lucy. She didn’t want to face the reality that maybe Maggie didn’t like her back, and being with the brunette only seemed to make her feelings grow stronger by the minute.

 

‘Hey, Luce.’

‘Hey, you’re back. Sit down, let’s talk.’ Lucy patted the spot besides her kindly, and Alex took it. They were in a corner of the cabin, which was a tight space, but they didn’t mind. They chatted happily about things, Alex laughing at her jokes on purpose to seem engrossed in conversation. She and Lucy had drunk more alcohol since they began their chat and Alex felt it rushing through her body. _I’m tipsy,_ she said to herself. Lucy had told a lame joke and burst out laughing, making Alex laugh as a response. They spent minutes trying to regain breath, but every time they tried only made them laugh harder. Alex glanced at the other people in the room briefly and saw Maggie staring at her with an unreadable expression on her face. Alex thought it was a mix between anger and hurt, but if truth be told she was too busy laughing to tell.

Maggie made a move for the door, not wanting to be in the cabin anymore, and made her way to the top of the boat. Alex and Lucy calmed down and finished their talk, only to be interrupted by James who wanted to speak to Lucy in private.

Alex, still slightly heated from the laughing fit, happily walked out to the deck to find Kara, Lena, Maggie and Winn all scattered around different parts of the deck, all with drinks in their hands.

 Maggie was speaking to Winn rather enthusiastically, every now and then glancing over to Alex who was trying to listen to their conversation. _No luck_. She distracted herself by talking to Kara and Lena, who were reasonably drunk, and let her mind wander as she listened to them talk. She glanced at Maggie - she was staring back and immediately averted her eyes back to Winn, let out a forced laugh, and slapped him playfully on the shoulder. Then something clicked in Alex’s mind - was Maggie trying to make her jealous? _Of course not_ , she replied to herself in her head. But she couldn’t help but wonder, and walked over to the pair.

‘Hey you guys.’ she said cheerfully, looking at Maggie who seemed a lot happier now Alex was with her. ‘Whatcha talking about?’

‘We were talking about a video game I play back at home.’ Winn replied casually, making Alex’s brows rise slightly. _A very funny conversation indeed, Maggie_. She decided to test her theory further.

‘Lucy and I were just placing bets on who will be caught kissing in the toilets this year.’ Alex said nonchalantly, her gaze on Maggie who furrowed her brow at the name. ‘My bets are on Kara and Lena.’ she added.

‘I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Lucy and James again.’ Winn said humorously. ‘Lucky son of a bitch.’

‘I know right? Who wouldn’t want to be kissing her?’ Alex added with a laugh, glancing briefly at Maggie who looked like she’d just been punched in the gut.

‘I have to go and drink some more.’ Maggie stated as she walked from the conversation down to the cabin. Alex felt her heart beat so loudly that she was sure it had bounced off one of her ribs. Maggie _was_ jealous.

 

Alex continued talking with Winn to be polite, but her mind was somewhere else completely. She couldn’t feel herself whatsoever, it was as if she had completely disconnected from her own body. Still replying to Winn and making small talk with him, Alex appeared to the outside world to be engrossed in the conversation. However, all her mind was thinking about was Maggie’s reaction to the conversation. She was jealous, no denying it, but Alex couldn’t help but still feel doubtful about her feelings. What if she’d read it wrong, and Maggie wasn’t jealous at all? What if she was jealous because she liked Lucy and not her? So many thoughts clouded Alex’s mind. She offered to get some more drinks with Winn and they headed down to the cabin. Music was playing loudly now, and the cabin had turned into a dance floor. _Screw it_ , Alex thought as she downed a shot and started to dance. It was dark, but the multicoloured lights which were flashing around the room took her mind off Maggie for a few minutes. Dancing with Winn and James, Alex felt happy and drunk as she let her body sway to the music.

 

Lucy had come up to her and began to dance besides her, occasionally twirling Alex around her finger. They had a lot of fun, laughing and dancing terribly until they were out of breath.

‘Your girlfriend has left.’ Lucy shouted in her ear through the music, Making Alex’s eyes widen.

‘What?’

‘Maggie, she’s just left. She looks upset, go talk to her.’ Lucy pointed out, and surely enough, Maggie was nowhere to be seen.

‘I’ll go. Thanks Lucy.’ Alex replied with a pat on her shoulder. _I need the bathroom first_ , Alex thought to herself as she glided across the room to the back, and pulled open the door.

There were a lot of screams - Kara and Lena, who were in the midst of making out, screamed at the unexpected arrival of Alex, who also screamed from being startled.

‘I _knew_ it!’ she yelled excitedly. Kara and Lena were hysterically laughing now, straightening their clothes and tidying up their hair.

They stumbled out of the bathroom, making the rest of the group wolf whistle and cheer in response, leaving Alex to finally get to business. She quickly finished and made her way directly up to the deck - Maggie was sitting on the edge, her feet dangling over the side of the boat, and appeared to be in deep thought.

 

‘Hey.’ Alex greeted her, making Maggie jump. ‘Hey.’ she replied with a faint smile. Alex noticed that Maggie looked torn over something, and sat down next to her.

‘Are you okay?’ Alex asked carefully, her eyes concerned.

‘Yeah, of course. Just needed some time to think.’ Maggie said sweetly, refusing eye contact with Alex as she stared at the water below her.

‘About what?’ Alex asked tentatively, feeling her insides tense up. What if Maggie had been thinking about her?

Maggie sighed.

‘About someone.’ she said in a whisper. Alex felt lightheaded - was this really happening?

‘Do you want to talk about it?’ Alex offered inquisitively, hoping that Maggie would confess to anything.

‘No, I’m just being stupid.’ Maggie chucked. ‘It’s nothing.’

‘It’s not stupid, Maggie. Whatever you’re feeling is real, you know.’ Alex said kindly.

 

Maggie lifted her head up to look at Alex. She had an intense look in her eyes, as if she was debating a thousand things inside her head. Alex stared back, a look of concern and love in her eyes that could’ve been interpreted as sadness, and felt her heart leap as she noticed Maggie’s gaze move from her eyes to her lips. She was hesitating, hesitating to do something Alex had wanted for so long, and Alex’s doubt was pushed into the back of her mind as she began to lean towards the girl. Before she knew it, she had been pushed sideways and felt the cold water hit her body. She glanced up at the boat and saw Kara and Lena laughing.

 

‘That’s for catching us in the act!’ they cried, making Alex laugh hysterically. Maggie was laughing too, and in a spur of the moment, jumped in after Alex.

‘What the hell are you doing?!’ Alex laughed as Maggie gasped for air once she’d resurfaced.

‘Jumping in for solidarity.’ she replied, and splashed Alex with some water. The two girls spent ages playing in the water, by which time Kara and Lena had called the rest of the group to come and see the fiasco, they were all laughing, but one by one jumped into the water to celebrate.

They didn’t stay for long, everyone except Maggie and Alex climbing up onto the boat in a matter of minutes, but the girls decided to stay, enjoying the cold water refreshing them.

‘Want to swim to shore?’ Maggie offered, and Alex nodded.

They swam to shore in a few minutes, laughing hysterically as Maggie tripped on loose sand and fell to the ground with a splat. They were both drunk, but both happy, and Alex offered her hand to help the brunette up, only to find herself being dragged down by Maggie’s weight. They both stayed there, lying on the sand as the water brushed against their feet, laughing hysterically at each other. They helped each other up, Alex stumbling slightly and falling into Maggie’s arms again, and steadied herself in Maggie’s grip. They were now face to face, stomachs aching from laughter, and trying to regain breath.

Maggie’s dimple made a reappearance, and the moonlight complimented her so beautifully that Alex took an intake of breath and spoke.

‘You look so beautiful right now.’ she spoke quietly, making the emotions behind Maggie’s eyes change immediately - she was staring at Alex intensely again, a look which made Alex feel like she was about to faint.

‘So you do.’ she heard Maggie reply. They gazed at each other, trying desperately to read the emotions behind each other’s eyes, and Alex felt the voice in her head grow louder. _Just do it._

So she did.

Alex grabbed Maggie by the face, tugging the girl towards her, and kissed her. She felt her mind go blank as her lips connected with Maggie’s, a feeling she never wanted to get used to, and allowed to be completely immersed in the moment. She felt Maggie’s lips against hers, and couldn’t believe what was happening until she felt the brunette move her hands to her waist. Alex broke the kiss after a few seconds, and stared at Maggie who was staring back at her in a slight daze.

‘Sorry.’ Alex muttered.

‘What are you sorry for?’ Maggie breathed, trying to regain her own breath.

‘I’ve been wanting to do that for so long.’ Alex added with a small smile. She felt exposed again, having told Maggie about her feelings, and felt like time itself had frozen before Maggie had the chance to reply.

‘Me too.’ Maggie smiled. Alex’s heart leapt in her chest and she beamed a smiled back.

‘Really?’ she asked in disbelief.

‘Yes.’ Maggie chuckled. ‘I didn’t want to risk anything, that’s why I didn’t say anything.’ she added.

‘Me too.’ Alex laughed, gazing into Maggie’s eyes which looked so bright in the moonlight.

‘Look, I really want to talk to you about feelings properly, but right now all I can think about is how much I want to kiss you.’ Maggie said sarcastically. Alex giggled and pulled Maggie into another kiss. It was a completely new feeling - a feeling she never had when kissing boys. She felt alive, like every hair on her body was standing on end. Like every nerve was reacting to the kiss, making her feel like she was floating, like there wasn’t anyone else in the world except her and Maggie.

 

Alex lost track of time as she and Maggie kissed on the shore, enjoying the closeness with one another, and heard her sister yelling from the boat. They broke apart, and turned to the sea to see the group cheering and jumping.

‘FINALLY!’ Lucy yelled.

‘YES ALEX!’ Kara shouted.

The girls laughed, and turned to each other, slightly embarrassed by being caught by all of their friends.

‘I guess we should head back?’ Maggie offered, holding her hand out to Alex to happily took it.

  
They swam back to the boat and climbed on, receiving congratulations and comments from all the friends (all of which were on the lines of ‘we saw that coming’ or ‘thank god it finally happened’). No one asked any questions, only provided their support, and gradually everyone went back to dancing in the cabin. Alex and Maggie were still holding hands, Alex occasionally glancing down at her hand to reassure herself that what had happened was real, and they danced the night away together, deciding to talk about the next step they should take the following day. Right now was a time for them to have fun, and they did exactly that - dancing and twirling, stealing kisses or cuddles when they could, and most of all, feeling so irrevocably happy that nothing in the world could rob them of this moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> finally!!!!! 
> 
> have fun reading. reviews always appreciated. :) But also, if any of you have any content you'd like to make in any shape or form about this fic, it would make me so happy. I heard someone talking about making a Moodboard of it, and that idea is like the best thing ever so please please please let me know if you ever decide to! :D
> 
> my tumblr is karadorkable  
> or tag any of your posts with "Sanvers Holiday AU' / "ASOL Sanvers" and I'll see it. 
> 
> Enjoy! 
> 
> Luna xo


	14. Chapter 14 - First Date

Alex fluttered open her eyes. _Where am I?_ She thought to herself as she didn’t recognise her surroundings immediately. Then she remembered - she’d slept over on the boat with her friends. It was dawn, and Alex felt her head throb as she sat up in her bed and gazed around. She was in the guest bedroom, her friends were sprawled out in the cabin with sleeping bags scattered all around the room, and she felt a source of heat from her side - Maggie. She turned around slowly and looked at the girl who was sleeping peacefully by her side. Alex felt her heart leap - she remembered the night before as clear as day; the kiss she shared with Maggie on the beach and the night full of affection and dancing. She smiled to herself and snuggled up next to the brunette, wrapping her arms around her waist and burying her face in Maggie’s neck. The sudden contact must’ve woken the girl, as Maggie began to stir and opened her eyes, taking a few seconds to take in her surroundings and turning to face Alex with a kind smile.

‘Morning.’ she muttered groggily.

‘Hey you.’ Alex beamed back. Maggie took a second to stare at Alex before speaking again.

‘Sleep well?’

‘Despite the hangover, yes.’ Alex laughed. ‘You?’

‘Very well.’ Maggie purred, making Alex blush as she pulled her closer. ‘Do you want to talk now?’ she added.

‘If you’re okay with that.’

‘Of course.’ Maggie replied, rubbing her temple slowly. She took a deep breath and begun.

‘Well, I really like you.’

Alex blushed harder and couldn’t contain her smile. ‘I really like you too.’ she replied in a whisper.

‘Good to know.’ Maggie replied sarcastically. ‘Want to go on a date with me?’ she added with a cocky smile.

‘Yes.’ Alex smiled. She could feel her cheeks slightly aching from how much she was smiling but she didn’t care. ‘I’d love that.’

‘Sweet. I’ll pick you up at 8 tonight.’ Maggie stated casually. Alex loved how relaxed Maggie was as a person, it was a breath of fresh air in comparison to the boys who were tripping over themselves when asking her out.

‘I’m still tired though, do you mind if we go back to sleep? It must be like five o’clock.’ Maggie added, gazing at Alex who agreed.

Alex felt nervous about being affectionate with Maggie now she was awake, so she rolled onto her back. She felt the brunette shuffle towards her, wrap her arm around Alex’s waist and she felt Maggie’s face bury itself in the crook of Alex’s neck. She shivered at the warmth. She never knew how good it could feel, how right it could feel to be with someone. Lying with Maggie was something Alex felt so comfortable doing, which slightly shocked her. She had always hated intimacy with her boyfriends - always escaping their hugs or moving out of the way at any sign of affection. Being with Maggie felt natural, and Alex felt so happy lying with her that she thought she could never fall asleep again, but before she knew it she’d drifted off into one of the best sleeps she’d had in a long time despite the dull pain in her head.

 

They were awaken a few hours later by the others who had gradually woken up throughout the morning. Alex and Maggie didn’t say much to each other, but kept close, and when they parted to go home, Alex had never felt more alone. She walked home with Kara who seemed to be in a slight daze from the hangover.

‘How was that party for you?’ Alex broke the silence.

‘I loved it. I bet you did too.’ Kara smirked. ‘Are you guys together now?’ she asked.

‘Not officially, but we’re going out tonight. I’m really excited.’ Alex replied happily with a sigh.

‘I’m so happy for you, Alex.’ Kara said after a pause, staring at her sister with love in her eyes.

‘Thanks.’ Alex replied, but Kara wasn’t done.

‘I’m serious. I remember you telling me about how you dreaded going out on dates with the other boys. You hated even being around them. And... _I don’t know_ , it’s really lovely to see you so happy with someone. I’m glad you’re gay.’ Kara said with a chuckle. Alex laughed and pulled her sister into a short but sweet hug.

‘Never thought I’d hear those words to be honest.’ Alex replied sarcastically.

The girls spent the morning relaxing and hydrating, occasionally having naps in between snacks to replenish themselves. They were both exhausted, after all - the amount of dancing they did was enough to tire anybody. At 5pm, Alex was reading peacefully in her room when her phone vibrated and her heart leapt.

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Hey. I’m excited for tonight._

 

Alex smiled and typed her reply.

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _Me too. Anything wrong?_

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _No, I just wanted to speak to you. :)_

 

Alex felt heat rise to her cheeks and she let out a giggle - _you’re so whipped_ , Alex thought to herself.

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _You’re so cute. I can’t wait to see you._

 

Alex didn’t put down her phone, eagerly waiting for Maggie’s reply.

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Me too. Are you busy right now?_

 

 **To: Maggie S. -** _No, why?_

 

 **From: Maggie S. -** _Screw 8 o’clock, can I come and pick you up in 20?_

 

Alex felt her heart beat so loudly she swore to herself silently. _Maggie wanted to see her_. She wanted to see her now. Alex replied a quick “ _Yes please_ ” and immediately rushed to her closet - _what to wear, what to wear_ , she pondered as she scattered through her clothes. She decided on a black silk shirt and some white jeans, and her famous black converse. She didn’t know where Maggie was taking her and didn’t know how to dress, so she decided it was a flexible outfit.

 

The knock on Alex’s door gave her a fright - she was expecting it, but she still felt herself work up a sweat when she opened the door to see Maggie waiting. Maggie was wearing black jeans, a white shirt, black converse, and her hair was down in soft waves. _She looks so beautiful_ , Alex thought to herself as she greeted the brunette with a smile.

 

‘We’re in sync.’ Maggie greeted warmly, glancing at Alex’s outfit and then her own.

 

‘You wear it better.’ Alex replied snarkily. ‘Where are we going?’

 

‘I’ve made a picnic. There’s a cute place I found in the east of the island I’d like to take you to. Is that okay?’ Maggie asked with a smile.

 

Alex was speechless.

 

‘You made a picnic?’ was all she could say after a few seconds. Maggie looked embarrassed all of a sudden and nodded shyly. ‘Thank you.’ Alex added sincerely.

 

They hopped in Maggie’s car and began the journey to the place. Maggie’s car was small, but nice, and Alex took it upon herself to play with the radio to find some good music.

‘What kind of music are you into?’ Maggie asked.

‘I like lots, it’s hard to describe.’ Alex replied. ‘You’ll get to know my music taste soon enough.’ she added with a smile as she flicked through the radio stations. She found one which played 80s music and left it on - _Heaven is a Place on Earth_ was now playing gently in the background.

 

The girls chatted happily in the car as they made their way across the island. Alex could feel a slight tension in the air - she and Maggie were both nervous at spending time with each other as a date. The whole way, Alex felt like her stomach was going to take flight, she was almost sweating and felt jittery at every move Maggie made. She could tell Maggie was nervous too, she stalled the car a couple of times and heard the girl breathe a shaky breath in the silent pauses.

 

Maggie parked the car once they arrived at a huge field. It was completely deserted, and the girls hopped out of the car and unpacked the belongings.

‘Can’t wait to see how good of a chef you are.’ Alex teased as she picked up the hamper.

Maggie blushed and closed the trunk of the car and locking it with the keys.

‘You won’t have to wait much longer.’ she replied and led the way. They walked up a steep hill, which was tiring for Alex who was slightly out of breath once they’d reached the top - but once they arrived her breath was taken away by the view.

 

Maggie had managed to find the most beautiful place on the island. White cliffs in the distance, and the pink and orange sky setting a lovely warm glow, the girls set a blanket down on the grass and began to unpack. Maggie had made sandwiches, cocktail sausages, salads, soups and snacks for the both of them. Alex was silently taken aback as she took in the effort the girl had made for her.

 

‘Maggie this is incredible.’ Alex said with a smile. She gazed at the brunette who blushed and looked at the ground.

‘Thank you.’ she replied.

 

The girls tucked in and began to eat. They were nervous at first, making sure not to brush hands at any given time or avoiding any long glances at the other, but gradually they warmed up to each other once more and began talking like they used to. They chatted about their lives, Maggie’s experience in coming out and how she’d always known. Alex listened and racked her brain for her own signs of being gay. She recalled the fall out she had had with her friend Vicky and explained it to Maggie, who in turn gave her two cents on why it could've happened.

‘Did you like spending time at her place?’ Maggie asked, and Alex felt slightly shocked at how accurate the question was. 

‘Yes.’ Alex admitted with a laugh. Alex could tell Maggie knew how this felt.

‘And you loved sleeping in her bed with her too, huh?'

‘Yup.’

‘Yup. _That’s gay._ ’ Maggie stated with a chuckle and the girls laughed.

 

They spent the evening enjoying each other’s company, Alex occasionally taking the opportunity to gaze at Maggie who looked beautiful in the light of the setting sun. She dug around in her bag and took out her polaroid - and snapped a picture of the girl whilst she was helping herself to some salad.

Maggie looked surprised at the camera flashed, and once she’d realised what Alex had done she buried her head in her hands and squealed.

‘You need to stop taking candid pictures of me.’ she gushed embarrassedly as Alex began to shake the picture.

‘Why?’ Alex said. ‘Does it bother you?’

‘No, I just...You shouldn’t waste them on me.’ Maggie admitted with a faint smile. ‘Take pictures of beautiful things, like the lake near your house or the old victorian house down the road.’

‘You’re beautiful to me.’ Alex said confidently as she stared at the brunette. She grabbed Maggie’s hand which was now on the picnic blanket. Maggie took a small intake of breath and her cheeks were rosier than ever.

‘For someone who only came out a few days ago you certainly have your way with the ladies.’ Maggie joked, her eyes sparkling. Alex grinned.

‘Thank you.’ she replied as she inflated her chest with pride. The girls went back to talking and this time, didn’t feel guilty for staring at each other with love in their eyes.

 

It was getting dark, and the girls, who were now full from a wonderful meal, packed up and began to drive home. They were singing Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer at the top of their lungs, waving and greeting any people they passed on the way home.

Maggie pulled up in Alex’s driveway and sat in the driver’s seat, waiting for Alex to say goodbye. Alex took a deep breath and turned to Maggie - who was staring at her expectantly - and pulled her into a kiss. It was passionate, it was a kiss which had been waiting to happen all night. Maggie unbuckled her seatbelt and took Alex face in her hands, she’d been waiting to do this for weeks - and completely lost sense of time in the time they were together.

 

They parted, cheeks flushed and breathing unsteady, and gazed into each other’s eyes before giggling. Alex felt emotional again and let tears prickle her eyes, causing Maggie’s face to contort in concern at the sight of her.

‘It wasn’t _that_ bad, was it?’ she asked comically. Alex laughed and let a tear stroll down her face.

‘Don’t be silly. I just - I didn’t know that _that_  was what it's supposed to feel like.’ she said with a smile. Maggie looked sympathetic and she planted a quick kiss on Alex’s forehead.

‘Well you better get used to it.’ Maggie said with a sweet smile and took a deep breath.

‘Alex?’

‘Yes?’

‘Will you..do the incredible honour in being my girlfriend?’ Maggie said with a smile. Alex was too busy being distracted by how cute Maggie's dimples were before she had the chance to take in what Maggie had asked her. She replayed Maggie's words inside her head and let out a small gasp.

 _Yes yes yes yes yes_ , she said in her mind before nodding sheepishly at the brunette. ‘I’d _love_ to.’ she replied.

‘Good. See you tomorrow at the Crab Shack?’ Maggie rubbed Alex’s arm as she left the car.

‘Definitely.’ she replied.

‘See you then.’ Maggie smiled as Alex shut the door and left for her house.

As Maggie drove away, Alex could feel so many things at once - her whole body was radiating heat, her mind was fogged up, yet clear at the same time as she thought of her feelings for Maggie. She breathed a sigh of relief as she recalled what it felt like to kiss the girl, and spent the evening being happier than she had ever felt before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey u guys. So sorry to have kept you waiting :) Things with my health have been crazy lol. Arm pains, burst blood vessels...It's been crazy! I'm back from visiting family for Christmas now so I have time to write - expect chapters more frequently (: 
> 
> I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far. I appreciate any input and if any of you want to make any content regarding this fic (moodboards/headcannons/fanart) it would mean the world! ^_^ 
> 
> enjoy the first date. 
> 
> Lots of love
> 
> Luna xo (Tumblr: karadorkable)


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